THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There exists a conspiracy to implement the Pampa Achankovil-Vaippar project in the wake of floods in the state, said former minister for water resources and MP NK Premachandran.
He alleged that the statement of the Central Water Commission (CWC) to construct a dam in Achankovil River is a move in this direction. He asked the state water resources minister whether he accepts the CWC report, which is against the interests of the state.
He remarked that the CWC report is not in response to the opposition raised by the water resources minister Mathew T Thomas. Instead, it is a response by Tamil Nadu to Kerala on the Mullaperiyar issue as well as the Pampa Achankovil-Vaippar project.
“If the state accepts the CWC report to cover up the fact that state was flooded after dams were opened intermittently, then we will have to face repercussions of the Mullaperiyar and Vaippar projects,” he said.
Kerala has already petitioned against the CWC for continuously supporting the interests of Tamil Nadu in water-related issues, he said. The CWC contention that a dam should be built on the Achankovil River as it cannot hold the rain water is an indirect move to implement the Vaippar river linking project, he said.
“Accepting the CWC report in a bid to blunt the opposition’s arguments is tantamount to sacrificing the interests of the state. The CWC findings that the Idukki Dam has the capacity to hold the excess water is a setback to the state in the Mullaperiyar issue. This is the regular argument put forward by the CWC and Tamil Nadu in Mullaperiyar issue,” he said.