Carry out repair works in Mullaiperiyar, don't remain mute to Kerala's obstruction: EPS to DMK govt

CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the state government to immediately carry out annual maintenance work at Mullaperiyar dam.

The former CM pointed out that the safety and security of Mullaiperiyar dam are vital for the farmers of Theni, Dindigul, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts.

It is the right of the State's water resources department, under the Public Works Department (PWD), to conduct a periodical inspection of the dam and take up repair works, said the Leader of the Opposition in a statement and urged to protect it.

Claiming that until 2020-2021, when AIADMK was in power, the authorities carried out Mullaperiyar dam maintenance work every year with the permission of Kerala's Forest and PWD departments, Palaniswami said that when the authorities from Tamil Nadu went to maintain the dam this year with the required equipment, the Kerala forest officials stopped the vehicles at the check post at Vallakadavu.

"Kerala forest officials reportedly denied it, saying they did not get any information from their State's PWD department," Palaniswami said and pointed out that "farmers from five districts in Tamil Nadu have staged a protest at the TN-Kerala border over the issue.

Condemning the DMK governmentt for being a "mute spectator" and not getting official permission from Kerala to begin maintenance works at the Mullaperiyar Dam, Palaniswami said that CM Stalin should immediately act in this regard and protect the State's farmers.