Oommen Chandy raises safety concern over Mullaiperiyar

Coimbatore: Pitching in for building a new dam while expressing concern over the safety of Mullaiperiyar, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said there will be no reduction in the quantity of water received by Tamil Nadu even if a new dam is built.

Raising doubts over the stability of the dam, Oommen Chandy said that the dam built 117 years ago using an old technology is now unsafe.

“As five districts from Tamil Nadu require the water from Mullaiperiyar, there would be no reduction in water reaching Tamil Nadu,” he said, while participating in the 16th annual day and Onam Fest organised by Kairali Cultural Association here in Coimbatore on Sunday.

Oommen Chandy said that though Kerala is in the forefront in education and health sectors, it has been traditionally lagging behind in the IT sector.  

“This is due to the misconception that youths will loss job if every department gets computerised. However such a notion is slowly changing and Kerala has been making strident moves in the IT sector. The IT based services are also improving significantly,”  he said.

Pointing out that Kerala has been declared as the first digital state in India, Chandy said that e-district programmes have been implemented in 14 districts in Kerala, out of the total 50 districts declared across the country.   

He said that in Palakkad, located near Coimbatore, an IIT has come up and admission is on for newly built medical college for SC/ST students in the district. “An academy to teach IAS aspirants has been started in Palakkad and similar ones will be started in all districts.  Works are on for the rail coach factory in Kanjikode and it will commence operations by this year end. It has been delayed due to lack of a private partner. Moreover, the fourth international airport in Kerala that will commence its operations by December this year,” he said.

Extending his Onam greetings, Oommen Chandy said that, “the Tamils and Malayalees share a special bond and this goodwill relationship should continue forever. Similar like Malayalees living here in Coimbatore, the people of Tamil Nadu have also settled down in Idukki and Palakkad.”