Kerala scheming to convert TN into a desert’

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi yesterday alleged that Kerala was trying to convert the state into a “Sahara Desert” by enacting a drama about the safety of Mullaperiyar Dam and urged the central government not to be a mute spectator.“Tamil Nadu is not ready for that. Even an idiotic Tamilian will not agree for this. Kerala is enacting a drama by blowing up the safety issue of the Mullaperiyar Dam. The dam has been strengthened between 1981 and 1994 in three ways,” Karunanidhi said.The dam is three times stronger now and will not be affected even if there is an earthquake, he said, speaking at the party headquarters at the end of the party’s day-long protest fast demanding protection for the dam by central forces and raising the water storage level to 142ft from the current 136ft under the 2006 Supreme Court order.Karunanidhi urged the central government not to remain a mute spectator in the dam issue as it does in other matters as the fallout of the issue will become a major problem in the future.He said the Tamilians living in Kerala should be allowed to move around freely like the Keralites living in Tamil Nadu.Karunanidhi said the Kerala leaders should function without keeping in mind the result of a by-election.“The leaders of Kerala, experts and others should shake hands with the people of Tamil Nadu,” Karunanidhi said.Taking a dig at Sohan Roy, the director of Dam 999 movie, he said: “It is sad that a movie director is using his talent to create rift between two states.”Meanwhile, DMK leaders and cadres held protest fasts across Tamil Nadu.Earlier in the day, former deputy chief minister M K Stalin warned Kerala “not to play with the lives of people living in Tamil Nadu.”In Pathanamthitta, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said “vested interests” are trying to make it an issue between the two states.“The dam issue has become a safety concern of Keralites and we are fully committed that the water sharing agreement from the dam will not be altered. Tamil Nadu should be aware that the present dam poses a serious threat to the lives of Keralites. We are all hopeful that the issue will be amicably resolved,” Chandy said, addressing a public meeting before launching his People Contact Programme.