STOP VIOLENT AGITATIONS OVER MULLAPERIYAR

                          STOP VIOLENT AGITATIONS
                   OVER MULLAPERIYAR

    Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday,5th December,2011 called upon the people to desist from violent agitations over Mullaperiyar. Violent agitations would weaken the talks and steps being taken to resolve the issue.  The Chief Minister said Tamil Nadu had expressed its willingness for talks. The technical members of the empowered committee of the supreme court would visit Mullaperiyar shortly. The talks would succeed only under peaceful conditions. Chief Minister said state police Chief was  in constant touch with the Tamil Nadu police. Tamil nadu had promised that strong action would be taken  to put down violence.

   Hundreads of people, including farmers, picketed the Theni-Kumuli highway at Goodalur and lower camp since 8 am on Monday, 5th December,2011 in protest against Kerala's stand on the Mullaperiyar dam issue. Along line of Vehicles were stranded on the three km stretch of the highway. Local people burnt Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in effigy at three places in the town. A civil police officer and two agitators sustained burns in the incident. The agitators did not allow any vehicle to cross Goodalur. Vehicles transporting milk, vegetables and other perishable goods to Kerala were blocked and sent back. Even autorickshews were not allowed to cross the town limits. The worst affected were Sabarimala pilgrims as hundreads of vehicles were stranded on the road side between Goodalur and Veerapandi. Many started to return home as no one knew when the road block would come to an end.
   An unidentified gang threw stones at two vans that transported Tamil Nadu farm workers to Kerala for estate work near Kumuli check post in the early hours of Monday. 5000 workers go to kerala every day from Theni district to work in cardamon estates. Farmers said that more than one lakh Liters of milk was transported daily to Kerala from Theni. Tension spread to Cumbam town in the after noon. An unruly mob pelted with stones some shops and hotels on the Cumbum main road. A finance firm,a  hotel and few shops were attacked. All shops downed their shutters.
   The Idukki District Collector has held a meeting with the Theni District Collector in the wake of the violent incidents witnessed in the border area of kumily and Cumbum Mettu in connection with the Mullaperiyar issue and reviewed the situation. Both the district administrations would take steps o ensure the peaceful movement of people from Tamil Nadu to Kerala and vice versa and reduce the tension prevailing in the border areas.
   The Theni District police chief at Kattappana Deputy superintendent of police had been directed to deploy enough police personnel in the sensitive areas and to coordinate action against those who incite violence or engage in it.  The District Disaster Management cell in the wake of the high water level in the Mullaperiyar dam. Officials of the Forest Water Resources,Police, and health Department, Fire and Rescue Services led by additional District magistrate visited Vandiperiyar,Upputhara and Ayyappan coil on Monday,5th December,2011 and interacted with the people. The team reviewed the arrangements in the schools selected as temporary shutters and the control rooms.

                                                                            Prof. John Kurakar