THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The executive committee of the KPCC which met here on Monday extended full support to various steps initiated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the UDF government on the Mullaperiyar issue and called for raising a new tremor-resistant dam. Though a big majority of the members present at the meet rooted for immediate action against Advocate-General K P Dandapani for adopting a line against the interests of the state in the Mullaperiyar issue, the meet left the final decision to the state cabinet, based on the stance of Chandy that the office of AG is a constitutional one and hence the latter should be heard. Even while pinning hopes on the Centre to facilitate an out-of-the-court settlement with Tamil Nadu on the issue, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and spokesman M M Hassan told mediapersons that the meet resolved to launch massive people’s agitation and awareness programmes across the state on the issue. It will begin with a people’s conclave under the aegis of Idukki DCC at Vandiperiyar on December 6, at the end of which KPCC general secretary and ex-MLA E M Augusthy will launch an indefinite fast, Ramesh said. On December 12, fasts will be held in all the 140 Assembly constituencies in the state. ‘’The demand to bring down the water level to 120 ft is not a permanent solution but only a temporary measure to minimise the impact of any disaster,’’he said. The meeting sought providing financial assistance to those who have suffered losses in the recent tremors in Idukki district as well as steps to conduct studies on the tremors and its impact on Mullaperiyar area by reputed national and international agencies.‘’The KPCC is striving hard to convince the leadership of political parties including the state Congress unit in Tamil Nadu that the interests of that state is also at stake if a settlement and new dam is not realised,’’ the KPCC chief said. ‘’Things are moving in the right direction for Kerala and there are reasons to be optimistic,’’ he said, replying to queries on whether the AG’s stance on the Mullaperiyar issue as well as the differing approach of Congress and Kerala Congress will eventually weaken the state’s case. ‘’No one can definitely approve the reported statements the AG had made in the court on the issue,’’ he said. On the approach of the Kerala Congress to the issue, he said that UDF is a coalition which functions on a common minimum programme and parties have their right to chart different paths for a common goal. Ramesh said that the KPCC meeting discussed the views of the Chief Minister on the AG issue, including the point that there was nothing wrong in the affidavit filed in the High Court but that the AG’s comments in the open court had put the government in a embarrassing situation. ‘’The Chief Minister had also said that the AG will explain his stance at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting,’’ he said. On the fasts by Joseph and Mani, Chennithala said: ‘’What Mani and Joseph performed today was only a prayer mission.’’ “All concerned should avoid a situation which will fuel passions and fears among the people in the two states,’’ he added. The latest stance of Tamil Nadu that it was ready for official talks with Kerala on December 15 was a positive sign, he said. Mass prayers will be held on December 23 under the aegis of mandalam-block Congress committees across the state to commemorate the first death anniversary of late K Karunakaran. The award instituted by the K Karunakaran Foundation will be presented to Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee by the Prime Minister on December 22 at New Delhi.
Comments
0 comment