Will go to SC on Mullaperiyar: Karunanidhi

As Keralas preliminary survey for constructing a new dam to replace the existing one at Mullaperiyar is snowballing into a political controversy in Tamil Nadu....

As Keralas preliminary survey for constructing a new dam to replace the existing one at Mullaperiyar is snowballing into a political controversy in Tamil Nadu,Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday said the state government would approach the Supreme Court seeking an immediate stay of the permission granted by the Union Environment Ministry.

Karunanidhi said he had shared his concerns with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh through a letter on September 22 when reports appeared that his ministry had given the go-ahead to Kerala when it approached the Centre for permission for such a survey.

However,as per the information the government received on Monday,the Union ministry has,without seeking the view of Tamil Nadu,given clearance to Kerala for the survey for a new dam at Mullaperiyar, he said,adding that the state would approach the apex court for an immediate stay of the clearance.

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Faced with Opposition criticism that it had betrayed the interests of the state,the DMK government had maintained that there was no official information from the Centre about the survey. Without an official order,said a recent government statement,it was not possible to obtain a stay order from the court.

However,not wasting an opportunity to flay the DMK and its government,Opposition leader and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa criticised that though it failed to raise its voice against the survey,Karunanidhis party was clinging on to power at the Centre. Her party also organised a protest in Theni against the survey.