Karunanidhi demands CISF security for Mullaiperiyar dam

Chennai: DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, on Saturday demanded the Centre to intervene in the issue of providing Central Industrial Security Force security to Mullaiperiyar dam. The DMK leader’s demand came a day after the Supreme Court asked Kerala and the Centre to respond to TN’s plea seeking posting of paramilitary personnel for protecting the dam that is “vulnerable” to attack by terror outfits.

In a statement,  Karunanidhi strongly criticised the Centre for dragging the issue and filing a petition in the apex court explaining that it would not be in position to deploy CISF  without Kerala’s clearance. The Tamil Nadu Government had already filed a petition in this regard explaining that the maintenance of the dam was vested with the Tamil Nadu PWD.

There was a constant threat and harassment to Tamil Nadu PWD officials and the neighbouring Kerala foresters stopped engineers from Tamil Nadu preventing  them from carrying out repair and maintenance works.

Under such circumstances, the Centre should understand the merits of TN and ensure that CISF personnel were deployed to protect the dam from any terror threat. The Centre should also correct its  stand and file a fresh petition in the Supreme court agreeing to provide CISF security to the dam, he said.