Don’t politicise dam issue: Ramadoss

He said in a statement on Saturday that the Mullaiperiyar dam issue had been resolved long ago. In 1979 believing a wrong complaint by the Kerala state, the then AIADMK government accepted reduction of the water level to 136 feet from 152 feet. 

Tamil Nadu retrieved the right to enhance the water level only after a 35-year struggle including a legal battle lasting eight years. He referred to the strength of the dam as confirmed by the experts committee appointed by the Supreme Court. The judges had clearly said that a new dam could not be built across Mullaiperiyar. Congress and allies did not comply with the verdict and were going about saying that Tamil Nadu should cooperate in building a new dam.  

Some political parties in Kerala now refused to accept the court verdict, disappointing farmers of five districts of Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram. It was an irresponsible act on the part of former chief minister Ommen Chandy to lead the agitation. The views expressed by him were totally unacceptable. He was trying to cheat the people of Tamil Nadu by saying that water would continue to be released after the new dam was built.