Chennai, Nov 6 (BPNS)
Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and Chief coordinator of AIADMK, O. Panneerselvam has lashed out against the Tamil Nadu government and the DMK for having opened the spillway shutters of Mullaperiyar even before the water level was much less than the 142 feet height prescribed by the Supreme Court of India.
The senior AIADMK leader in a statement on Saturday said that the party has the moral right to speak for the rights of any issue concerning the people of Tamil Nadu and to question the actions of the government in power.
Panneerselvam called upon the DMK to explain to the people on the circumstances that led to the opening of spillway shutters of Mullaperiyar dam even at 136 feet of height which was much below the 142 feet permitted by the Supreme Court. The senior AIADMK leader said that if the DMK and the Tamil Nadu government do not explain the matter, then they will have to face the consequences.
The AIADMK leader said that there was no proper response from the Tamil Nadu water resources minister, S. Duraimurugan on the questions raised by the opposition party. He asked whether the release of water from Mullaperiyar was an arbitrary action by Kerala or whether Tamil Nadu had given clearance to it.
He also asked as to how the officials of Tamil Nadu were present at the Mullaperiyar dam site if the shutters were opened by Kerala. The former Chief Minister also questioned how the Tamil Nadu government took such an important decision affecting the lives of the people of South Tamil Nadu without consulting farmers and political parties.
O. Panneerselvam also came out strongly against state Water Resources Minister, S. Duraimurugan’s statement that he (OPS) had not visited Mullaperiyar and said that he had at least visited the dam site 14 times since 2002.
The former Chief Minister also said that the AIADMK would hold protest marches in South Tamil Nadu on November 9 against the unilateral action of the Tamil Nadu government that would affect the farmers of Tamil Nadu.
O. Panneerselvam also said that the AIADMK had taken up Cauvery water management issue and the Mullaperiyar dam issue concerning the people of Tamil Nadu.
