Chennai:
In a significant development in the Mullaiperiyar dam issue, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to not be a part of the five-member committee suggested by the Supreme Court to assess the strength of the dam.
Instead, the ruling DMK and has asked the Centre to intervene in this dispute.
"The Supreme Court has already established and settled this that the Mullaiperiyar dam is strong in all aspects. And there is no use examining the dam again and again. That's why we have decided to stay out of this committee," said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
Although the Supreme Court had ordered raising the dam's storage from 136 feet to 142 feet, the Kerala government defied it by passing a law claiming the dam is weak.
This dam in Kerala was built by the British, but an agreement gives Tamil Nadu rights over its waters for 999 years to irrigate drought-prone southern districts.