The Hindu Business Line : Kerala regrets TN stand on Mullaperiyar

The Kerala Water Resources Minister, Mr N. K. Premachandran, has described as `unfortunate' Tamil Nadu Government's decision to disengage itself from bilateral talks on the century-old Mullaperiyar dam and plump instead for Supreme Court mediation afresh.

Speaking to newspersons after return from Delhi where he had discussed the issue with his Tamil Nadu counterpart, Mr Dorai Murugan, he recalled that it was on Supreme Court's direction that the talks were held in the first place, and in the presence of the Union Water Resources Minister, Mr Saifuddin Soz.

Talks cordial

According to Mr Premachandran, talks were held in a cordial atmosphere on Monday. The two States may not have budged from their known positions, but had unanimously agreed that substantive sessions had become necessary to carry the dialogue forward.

FUTURE AGENDA

It had also been agreed that the Union Water Resources Minister would decide on the agenda for future meetings. Both States were required to rush with the process for filing of fresh documents, if any, to further reinforce their respective positions.

Mr Premachandran said that it was his Tamil Nadu counterpart who explained to the media in Delhi about the broad understanding reached at the meeting.

On his part, Mr Saifuddin Soz had said that the talks were cordial and satisfactory and that he looked forward to engage the parties in future as well.

The Union Minister had gone on to add that he would himself decide on the agenda and procedures for the future meetings and communicate the same to both the States. He had also expressed the view that, going forward, he was hopeful of striking up some agreement between the two.

Mr Premachandran said that the Kerala Government was willing to go to any length to find an amicable settlement to the issue. Flogging it endlessly through resort to legal and technical rigmarole will only further test the patience of lakhs of people living on both sides of the inter-State border where the contentious dam stands.

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