Mullaperiyar dam: Netas stoke fire as babus work for peace
The bureaucracy on either side of the Mullaperiyar divide is working overtime to undo the damage being caused by politicians.
By Arun Ram & V Mayilvaganan, TNN | Updated:
KUMILY (TN-KERALA BORDER): The bureaucracy on either side of the Mullaperiyar divide is working overtime to undo the damage being caused by politicians.
While some politicians in Tamil Nadu and Kerala have launched road shows to drum up support for their respective sides on the Mullaperiyar dam dispute, the officials on the two sides are working in close coordination to defuse the tension.
On Thursday, when a special police cell at Cumbum deputed teams to help more than 60 Keralites stuck in TN reach the Kerala border, MDMK leader Vaiko sat on a fast in neighbouring Theni, threatening an economic blockade. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala then organised his own fast in Thiruvananthapuram. The CPM in Kerala sought to outdo both, forming a 208km human chain from Vandiperiyar near the Mullaperiyar dam to Kochi, raising the slogan 'new dam for Kerala, water for Tamil Nadu.'
For the first time after the latest row broke out, superintendents of Theni on the TN side and Idukki on the Kerala side met on Thursday in Kumily and later briefed reporters at the border checkpost. "We discussed a lot of ideas to defuse the situation," said Theni SP Praveen Kumar Abinapu. Idukki SP George Varghese said the Kerala police have ensured safety of Tamils, especially the Sabarimala pilgrims. The police officers agreed to meet again in two days, but were non-committal on the lifting of curfew in the border areas.
The collectors of the neighbouring districts are also in constant touch with each other. On Thursday, people on either side too felt a semblance of normalcy as shops in opened after three days. Theni district collector K S Palanichamy said he has deputed an executive magistrate each at Kumily, Cumbum Mettu, Gudalur and Cumbum town.
The DMK and the AIADMK have so far refrained from protests.
While some politicians in Tamil Nadu and Kerala have launched road shows to drum up support for their respective sides on the Mullaperiyar dam dispute, the officials on the two sides are working in close coordination to defuse the tension.
On Thursday, when a special police cell at Cumbum deputed teams to help more than 60 Keralites stuck in TN reach the Kerala border, MDMK leader Vaiko sat on a fast in neighbouring Theni, threatening an economic blockade. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala then organised his own fast in Thiruvananthapuram. The CPM in Kerala sought to outdo both, forming a 208km human chain from Vandiperiyar near the Mullaperiyar dam to Kochi, raising the slogan 'new dam for Kerala, water for Tamil Nadu.'
For the first time after the latest row broke out, superintendents of Theni on the TN side and Idukki on the Kerala side met on Thursday in Kumily and later briefed reporters at the border checkpost. "We discussed a lot of ideas to defuse the situation," said Theni SP Praveen Kumar Abinapu. Idukki SP George Varghese said the Kerala police have ensured safety of Tamils, especially the Sabarimala pilgrims. The police officers agreed to meet again in two days, but were non-committal on the lifting of curfew in the border areas.
The collectors of the neighbouring districts are also in constant touch with each other. On Thursday, people on either side too felt a semblance of normalcy as shops in opened after three days. Theni district collector K S Palanichamy said he has deputed an executive magistrate each at Kumily, Cumbum Mettu, Gudalur and Cumbum town.
The DMK and the AIADMK have so far refrained from protests.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
Related Articles
Heavy rain lashes Kerala, water released from Mullaperiyar damADVERTISEMENT
