Political parties in Kerala will discuss what action will be taken after the Mullaperiyar verdict at an all-party meeting called let by the Government at Thiruvananthapuram on Monday afternoon.
The meeting is likely to discuss the option of going in for a review petition against the verdict.
In a decision interpreted to be a huge setback to Kerala’s stand on the Mullaperiyar dam issue, the Supreme Court’s five-member Constitution Bench had last week allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the full water level of the reservoir to 142 ft from the current permitted limit of 136 ft. Kerala was also prevented from building a new dam and a 2006 law limiting the water level of the dam to 136 ft was rescinded.
The verdict has led to widespread disappointment in Kerala and political parties supporting the building of a new dam have criticised the Government’s alleged lackadaisical attitude to fighting the legal battle with Tamil Nadu. There is a widespread criticism that Kerala could not properly present the safety aspect of the dam and the threat to lives of people living downstream to the dam.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has started work on raising the reservoir level. Currently, the water level is at 115.5 ft. Kerala authorities have argued that raising the water level will, apart from being a threat to people, submerge hundreds of acres of land in the area and destruct flora and fauna.
The all-party meeting has been called by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and senior leaders of most parties are expected to attend.