CJI heading SC Bench on dam issue opposed

MADURAI: President of `Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam’ (Tamil Nationalist Movement) Nedumaran wanted the Tamil Nadu Government to protest against appointing the Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan as head of the Supreme Court Bench, created to enquire the Mullaiperiyar dispute, as he belongs to one of the aggrieved states, Kerala.Responding to the recent statement of former Kerala PWD minister Jacob on demolishing the Baby Dam across the river Mullaiperiyar, Nedumaran said it was unconstitutional on the part of Jacob to make such a statement, when the case was subjudice.Stating that the Baby Dam is a part of the main reservoir (Mullaiperiyar dam) as per the 1886 agreement between the then Chennai province and the Travancore State, Nedumaran urged the Tamil Nadu Government to take the issue with the apex court.Brushing aside the possibility of constructing a new dam across the river, the Tamil nationalist leader said no dam between the Mullaiperiyar dam and the Idukki dam could be possibly constructed as the landscape would not permit it.``Yet, Kerala is making a propaganda just to divert the real issue,” opined Nedumaran.LANKAN TAMIL ISSUE: Lashing out at Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for not keeping up his promise to arrange for shipment of life saving drugs and food items collected in Tamil Nadu to Tamils in Sri Lanka, Nedumaran said that by being a passive spectator to the sufferings of the Lankan Tamils, Karunanidhi was more cruel than Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse.
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Sunday March 9 2008 09:56 IST