Little response to shutdown over new Mullaperiyar dam
January 18th, 2012 - 5:59 pm ICT by IANS
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 18 (IANS) A statewide shutdown called to demand a new dam to replace the leaking structure at Mullaperiyar turned out to be a damp squib Wednesday.
Barring the Idukki district where the dam is located, normal life appeared the least affected, with vehicles plying and all establishments open.
The Mullaperiyar Action Committee (MAC) has been holding a sit-in at Chappathu near the dam site for the past five years demanding a new dam. But MAC believes the centre has been ignoring the demand for a new dam.
In Idukki, the opposition Left besides ruling front ally Kerala Congress (Mani) were supporting the shutdown.
For KC (Mani), a new dam appears to have become a prestige issue because it is very strong in districts like Idukki, Kottayam, parts of Ernakulam and Thrissur, which along with Alappuzha district would be the worst affected if the leaking Mullaperiyar dam gives way.
State Water Resources Minister P.J. Joseph who belongs to the party is also championing the cause of a new dam.
“We had decided to suspend the protest for a month after an all party delegation met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with our demand for a new dam. Now that period is over and we have no other option but to go ahead with the campaign for a new dam,” said Joseph who hails from Idukki district.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the Mullaperiyar dam, built under an 1886 pact between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj.
While the dam is located in Kerala, its waters serve Tamil Nadu. Kerala is seeking a new dam and has offered to build and fund it but the latter does not agree and has now become an issue which has become a thorn for the Manmohan Singh government.
- Chandy demands new dam in place of Mullaperiyar - Dec 21, 2011
- Talks likely with Tamil Nadu on Mullaperiyar: Chandy - Dec 03, 2011
- Kerala presses for new dam with demonstrations, shutdown - Nov 29, 2011
- Kerala again speaks of new Mullaperiyar dam - Jan 03, 2012
- Kerala seeks new dam, protests erupt against Tamil Nadu - Nov 28, 2011
- Tremors, movie focus attention on controversial dam (Letter from Kerala) - Nov 27, 2011
- Opposition will raise funds to build new dam: Achuthanandan - Nov 30, 2011
- Kerala minister slams Jayalalithaa's appeal on Mullaperiyar - Dec 10, 2011
- Kerala assembly restates stand on Mullaperiyar Dam - Dec 09, 2011
- Mullaperiyar dam talks shift to Delhi - Dec 01, 2011
- New Mullaperiyar Dam will be a reality: Chandy - Jan 04, 2012
- Kerala wants national parties' clear stand on Mullaperiyar - Nov 25, 2011
- Chandy hopes Mullaperiyar issue will be amicably resolved - Dec 12, 2011
- Will lead all party delegation to PM on Mullaperiyar: Chandy - Dec 07, 2011
- Union minister's Mullaperiyar remark irks Kerala - Jan 16, 2012
Tags: action committee, ally, british raj, damp squib, delegation, establishments, loggerheads, manmohan, manmohan singh, mullaperiyar dam, new dam, pact, prestige, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, state water resources, tamil nadu, thorn, thrissur, travancore