Chandy writes to Jayalalithaa on Mullaperiyar row (Lead)
December 18th, 2011 - 5:32 pm ICT by IANSThiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Sunday wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart J. Jayalalithaa stating that he was willing to issue a joint statement with her urging peace and restraint on the Mullaperiyar dam issue.
“This is a situation where we have to urgently provide a sense of protection and confidence to our people. I am sure you will act immediately and firmly to contain the situation. I am willing to issue a joint statement with you and appeal for peace and restraint,” Chandy’s letter said.
He also mentioned several instances of attacks on Keralites in Tamil Nadu arising out of the dispute.
“There are a large number of students from Kerala studying in various institutions in Tamil Nadu. Lakhs of people are employed in organised and unorganised sectors. Their families in Kerala are in a state of anxiety. I request you to take immediate action to control the situation and ensure safety of our people,” he said.
He added that his government had taken every possible step to ensure that no person from Tamil Nadu is attacked in Kerala.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam, built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj. While it is located in Kerala’s Idduki district, the dam’s water serves Tamil Nadu, which also manages its affairs.
Kerala wants the dam’s height to be lowered to 120 feet in view of its weakness.
But Tamil Nadu wants the storage capacity to be increased by raising the dam height from 136 feet to 142 feet as the state’s irrigation needs have shot up.
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- Clashes at Kerala-Tamil Nadu border post over Mullaperiyar - Dec 06, 2011
- Now ad war over Mullaperiyar dam - Dec 19, 2011
- Chandy demands new dam in place of Mullaperiyar - Dec 21, 2011
- Chandy writes to Jayalalithaa on Mullaperiyar row - Dec 18, 2011
- Chandy hopes Mullaperiyar issue will be amicably resolved - Dec 12, 2011
- Kerala again speaks of new Mullaperiyar dam - Jan 03, 2012
- Talks likely with Tamil Nadu on Mullaperiyar: Chandy - Dec 03, 2011
- Kerala, Tamil Nadu officials to discuss Mullaperiyar dam - Dec 05, 2011
- Persuading Tamil Nadu, Kerala on Mullaperiyar: PM - Dec 17, 2011
- Mullaperiyar Dam: Chandy briefs Tamil Nadu media - Jan 07, 2012
- Opposition will raise funds to build new dam: Achuthanandan - Nov 30, 2011
- Tamil Nadu beefs up security along Kerala border - Dec 11, 2011
- CPI-M politburo resolution on dam faulty, says Achuthanandan - Dec 02, 2011
Tags: anxiety, british raj, chief minister, confidence, counterpart, instances, institutions, irrigation, j jayalalithaa, keralites, lakhs, loggerheads, mullaperiyar dam, peace, sectors, storage capacity, travancore