Nod of EIA study: O Panneerselvam should lead all party team to Centre, says ​M Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: Condemning Centre's nod to Kerala for an environmental impact assessment study to construct a new Mullaperiyar dam, DMK today demanded that Chief Minister O Panneerselvam lead an all-party delegation and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for action in favour of the state.

"The Centre's nod for a study in Mullaiperiyar, besides adversely impacting Tamil Nadu will tantamount to ignoring the Supreme Court order," DMK chief M Karunanidhi said in a statement here.

The action of giving permission without seeking Tamil Nadu's opinion deserved to be strongly condemned, he added.

The National Board for Wildlife had given nod to Kerala to conduct an EIA study for constructing a new dam.

Quoting media reports, Karunanidhi said a Superintending Engineer of Kerala had said the Centre had also given nod for a study to build a dam across River Pambaru. The official had also said that construction activity would begin soon.

A day after Paneerselvam urged Modi to withdraw clearance to Kerala for the study, Karunanidhi said writing letters to the PM on issues of such nature would not be sufficient.

"Good results will come only if Chief Minister himself meets Prime Minister Modi by leading a delegation of all political parties," the DMK chief said.

"I urge the Tamil Nadu government to wake up at least now and go to Delhi and echo the State's opinion so as to arrive at a good decision."