By IANS,
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government Saturday decided not to participate in the informal discussions on Mullaperiyar Dam issue slated Dec 5.
Quoting Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi, a terse statement issued by Public Works Department Secretary M. Saikumar said: “It has already been decided that Government of Tamil Nadu will not participate in the informal discussion on Mullai Periyar Dam issue in New Delhi on 5.12.2011.”
The dispute has escalated with Kerala government hardening its stand to demand construction of a new dam and Tamil Nadu reiterating its stand that the retrofitted existing dam is similar to a new dam.
According to Tamil Nadu, the Kerala ministers and officials are creating a fear psychosis in their state about the dam’s safety.
With the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala writing letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue, the central government had thought of arranging a meeting between the officials of two states Dec 5.
The Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee will also be meeting in New Delhi on that day to finalise its report. The report will be submitted to the apex court.