Mullaperiyar row: Karunanidhi digs up 50-yr old demand

Reviving a more than five-decade-old demand in the light of Kerala's stand over Mullaperiyar Dam, DMK today said Devikulam and Peermedu talukas, where the reservoir is located, belonged to Tamil Nadu and urged the Centre to take steps to restore them to the state."Kerala government is forcing us to press for retrieval of Devikulam and Peermedu which historically and geographically belonged to Tamils and Tamil Nadu," DMK chief M Karunanidhi said in a statement amidst the row over the Mullaperiyar Dam.While the Supreme Court appointed Committee headed by Justice A S Anand was going into the issue, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was insisting on building a new dam in place of the 116-year old reservoir besides settling the issue through talks, he said.Karunanidhi noted that the demand for retrieving Peermedu, where the dam is constructed, and Devikulam, under which the dam's catchment area falls, was raised by DMK founder and late chief minister C N Annadurai way back in January, 1956 on the eve of harvest festival Pongal.Tracing the history, the 88-year old DMK patriarch said Mullaperiyar Dam construction site of Peermedu and Devikulam were under the rule of Tamil kings Pandyas in 12th century."Despite these facts, by mistake these areas were considered under the Travancore Princely state and an agreement was signed in 1886", he said.Karunanidhi said the Travancore boundary was up to Aroor and Kottarakara but the British annexed Devikulam and Peermedu also with it and entered into an agreement."Due to the mistake by the British Governor and the wrong method followed during reorganisation of states on linguistic basis, the Mullaperiyar Dam row is continuing", he said.Hence the Centre should come forward at least now to set right the mistakes and the injustice done to Tamil Nadu, he said expressing hope that the Tamil Nadu Government would also take steps in this regard.Citing safety concerns, Kerala has been insisting on building a new dam, a stand opposed by Tamil Nadu, which controls the existing reservoir that irrigates five southern districts in the state, saying it was as safe as a new one.