Date:06/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/06/stories/2008120661030800.htm

New Delhi

Panel didn’t give any opinion on Mullaperiyar dam’s safety: MP

J. Balaji

NEW DELHI: Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources Chairman and Guntur Congress MP, R. Sambasiva Rao, here on Friday denied having given any opinion on the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam.

“How can I state whether the dam is safe or unsafe when the committee is still holding discussions and the matter is sub judice and pending before the Supreme Court? We will not say anything against Tamil Nadu or Kerala,” he told The Hindu.

Reacting to Tamil Nadu PWD Minister Durai Murugan’s strong objection to his reported statement, published in the media on December 3, that the “dam is unsafe,” Mr. Rao clarified that he was only explaining the apprehension of Kerala about the safety aspects of the 113-year-old dam and how five districts of that State would get affected if it burst in the wake of an earthquake or other natural calamity.

Views obtained

He said the views of Tamil Nadu representative, an engineer from Madurai, were also obtained by the committee during its visit. The Tamil Nadu representative had explained how the State government spent Rs.20 crore to strengthen the dam and claimed that it was safe.

The Committee, which has a DMK representative, too, Rajya Sabha member Vasanthi Stanley (she could not visit the dam on December 2 with the committee as she was busy in Delhi), will hold further meetings in Delhi and consult Central Water Commission officials.

“If necessary we will even send a CWC official team to the reservoir and get a report. Our decision will be conveyed to the Union Water Resources Ministry, Parliament and the Supreme Court,” he said.

Allegation denied

The MP denied Mr. Durai Murugan’s allegation that the committee had spent only 10 minutes at the dam site and did not conduct any scientific or technical study. “We spent more than 45 minutes at the site getting details from various officials,” he said.

Mr. Durai Murugan had told mediapersons here that the reported views of Mr. Rao about the safety of the dam were highly objectionable and against the interests of Tamil Nadu.

He would hold consultations with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and consider whether it could be taken up with the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker as the committee was constituted by Parliament.