112. Two states fighting against each other instead of fighting against nuclear power plant. P S Remesh Chandran

112

Two states fighting against each other instead of fighting against nuclear power plant

P S Remesh Chandran

Editor, Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum
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If a dam is old and leaking heavily, it is safer to decommission it, regardless of its various present uses, rather than take the risk of it collapsing and taking away five districts in a state along with thousands of human lives, houses, cattle, vehicles, bridges, roads, crops and other developments. Tamil Nadu not only takes away water from the dam but makes electricity also out of this water, both totaling to the tune of above 10000 crores. They pay Kerala a meager amount of just below 30 lakh rupees each year as lease.

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Tamil Nadu knows that even if the present Mulla-Periyar dam is decommissioned and a new one built in its place, they will be given water as before but the amount to be paid to Kerala each year will rise to a realistic 500 crores, conforming to world rates and standards. That is the reason behind Tamil Nadu’s reluctance to acquiesce to the decommissioning of this century-old dam and constructing a new one in its place. It is the one and only reason behind their adamant stand. If someone, be it anyone in India, emphatically says that the dam will never burst and that it is totally safe, are invited to come with family and reside in any village or town beneath the dam for two years. Take this as a challenge.

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In the national scene, Mullapperiyar has significance. Mullapperiyar issue is a political creation, designed and created to divert attention from a more catastrophic disaster which may one day possibly wipe out the entire people of the sister states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Once this issue is settled or the strife and struggle stops, the Anti-Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant struggle will resume and gain force. If it collapses, the Mullapperiyar Dam will certainly cause the wiping away of three or four districts, but if it one day blows away, the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant will burn out two entire states.

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After pleasing Russia, our political leaders on the national level want to open and make function the plant noiselessly, that is without protest. As they wished, the people of the two states are fighting against each other, instead of jointly fighting against opening the deadly power plant. That is the trick, cunning and clever treachery of national politics. It is no wonder the Koodankulam struggle went behind the curtain when Mullapperiyar struggle came into the fore. What extremely pleases the orthodox national leaders is that the lower class blacks have again begun to fight each other.

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[In response to news article ‘Kerala and Tamil Nadu fight over Mullaperiyar dam’ on 20 December 2011]