Sasikala said that the central government should immediately reject the request of the Kerala government to build a new dam in Mullai Periyar.
In a statement issued by him in this regard, “There are reports that the Kerala Government has applied to the Environment Department for permission from the Central Government to build a new dam across the Mullaperiyar dam, and due to this, an environmental expert evaluation committee is going to conduct an investigation on the 28th. This is an act that completely cheats the livelihood of the farmers in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The DMK-led government should immediately stop the activities of the Kerala government. I request the Central Government to reject the demands of the Kerala Government.
As a result of our revolutionary leader Amma’s huge legal struggle to raise the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam, which is the livelihood of the people of South Tamil Nadu, from 136 feet to 152 feet, the Supreme Court ordered that the water level be raised to 142 feet first and then raised to 152 feet after strengthening the dam. I am proud to say that the water level of the dam was raised to 142 feet during Amma’s reign due to the determined efforts of the revolutionary leader.
While the monitoring committee set up by the Supreme Court continues to inspect the strengthening works of the dam and continues to ensure the safety of the dam and reports, when we see that the Kerala government is trying to break the existing dam and build a new dam, it can be understood that there is an intention to prevent the water level of the dam from increasing to 152 feet. This is a complete deception of the farmers of Tamil Nadu. What we need to take into consideration is that the construction of a new dam can be seen as an action that calls into question the livelihood of the agricultural population of our southern district.
Similarly, Amaravati Dam located in Tirupur district is a major water source for drinking water needs. 60,000 acres of arable land is getting irrigation facility and the farmers are heavily dependent on Amaravati Dam. While the source of water for Amaravati Dam is the Spider River, Bambaru, Thenaru, Chittaru, which originates in the Kerala hills in the Western Ghats, it has now come to light that the Kerala government is constructing a new barrage across the Spider River. This can be seen as an act of the Kerala government blocking the water coming to Amaravati Dam.
Thus the common man may not know about the construction of a new barrage in a neighboring state, but the DMK-led rulers here know nothing? No knowing but still missing? Since DMK is the party that is a part of its alliance, the rulers of Kerala state, without daring to oppose them, how is it fair to make fun of everything that is happening? Do the DMK rulers think that even if the farmers of Tamil Nadu perish, their alliance should not get any share? Never know. Also, is this new barrage being constructed with proper permission? The National Green Tribunal has now raised the question to the Kerala government. What is the DMK-led government doing?
Why is no action taken to prevent this? I express my strong condemnation for the negligence of the DMK-led advertising government which is deceiving the farmers of Tamil Nadu like this. Considering the livelihood of Tamil Nadu farmers, the central government should immediately reject the Kerala government’s demand to build a new dam across the Mulla Periyar. Similarly, the construction of barrage across the river Spider should also be stopped. In order to protect the livelihood of the farmers of the southern district, I request the DMK led government to act vigilantly and take necessary legal steps to stop the activities of blocking the water coming to Tamil Nadu by building dams.
