Chennai: The Mullaperiyar dam row between
Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the impasse over Koodankulam Nuclear
Power Plant might figure during the talks, Chief Minister
Jayalalithaa is expected to have with Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh during his two-day visit to the state from tomorrow.
Jayalalithaa is likely to call on Singh tomorrow evening
shortly after his arrival here and may take up a host of
issues, including the demand for a financial package.
This is the first visit by Singh to the state after the
AIADMK headed by Jayalalithaa stormed to power ousting DMK, a
key UPA partner, in the April assembly elections.
DMK chief M Karunanidhi today announced he would meet the
Prime Minister on Monday and take up the dam row, particularly
"preventing attacks against Tamils" in Kerala and increasing
the water level of the dam.
The dam row has escalated in recent weeks with leaders of
both states engaged in a war of words. Kerala is insisting on
a new dam to replace the existing 116-year-old structure,
citing safety concerns which Tamil Nadu opposes.
Jayalalithaa has written four letters to the Prime Minister
since the issue resurfaced late last month and has taken
exception to the National Disaster Management Authority`s
move forming a team of experts to draw up a contingency
response plan for the dam, saying it was nothing but
"succumbing to the subterfuge" of Kerala.
Karunanidhi had expressed dissatisfaction over the action
taken by the Centre and the state government on the issue.
On the Koodankulam issue, the Prime Minister`s recent
remarks that the plant would be operationalised in a few weeks
did not go well with Jayalalithaa who asked the Centre to
allay people`s fears before taking any `precipitate` action.
PTI
