Kerala assembly to discuss Mullaperiyar dam issue on June 9

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala assembly will discuss on June 9, the Mullaperiyar dam issue in the wake of the Supreme Court rejecting the state's contention that the 119-year-old dam was unsafe.

The issue would be taken up on the first day of the monsoon session under assembly Rule 130.

CPI-M veteran and Opposition leader in the house V S Achuthanandan would move a resolution on the new circumstance that had taken shape after the Apex Court order, Assembly Speaker G Karhtikeyan told reporters here today.

A substantive motion moved by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would be passed and sentences and words of that motion would be decided on the basis of debate, Karthikeyan said.

Kerala has already decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court in the long drawn Mullaperiyar dam dispute with neighbouring Tamil Nadu, after the Apex Court rejected the state's contention and upheld Tamil Nadu government's plea to raise the level to 142 feet from 136 feet.

The ruling Congress-led UDF, as well as the CPI(M)-led LDF opposition are of the view that the safety concerns of nearly four million people in five downstream districts had not been taken into account by the court.