Kerala Oppn Slams Vijayan’s Silence on the Idukki Residents’ Pain

Thiruvananthapuram : The tense issue surrounding the Mullaperiyar Dam has left the residents of Idukki angry.

Roshy Augustine, a local legislator, was seen pleading with them, saying that he could not help but to speak out about the sufferings of the residents.

The opposition has slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his silence on the sufferings of the residents.Augustine met the residents on Monday night.Opposition Lok Sabha member N.K.N.K., an Opposition Lok Sabha member, criticized Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans inability to alleviate the sufferings and claimed that Vijayan had made a secret deal with Tamil Nadu .The dam has been a source of contention between Kerala, where the dam is situated, and Tamil Nadu which manages the dam according to the old lease agreement.For a few days now, the shutters of the dam have been opened at night, marooning hundreds of Idukki residents living downstream with water gushing into their homes.Angry residents around 9.30 p.m.surrounded Augustine and vented their anger and a peeved Minister was seen pleading."All of you know that the dam is operated by Tamil Nadu.

We can bring this to court on Tuesday.I am helpless and I can do nothing," said Augustine.Premachandran, a former State Water Resources Minister, turned his ire at Vijayan and asked why was Vijayan silent.

"The fact of the matter is there is a secret deal with Tamil Nadu and thats the principal cause of this fiasco and has led to untold miseries for the people living downstream.Premachandran slammed the Ministers pleas for help.

If he is unable or unwilling to offer relief to the people, then he should resign.Kerala has never witnessed such a situation where a Minister says he is helpless," slammed Premachandran.

On Monday night, eight shutters of the dam were opened and on Tuesday morning all but one of the shutters has now been closed.Angry residents said if a Minister said that he was helpless, then he should quit.

"We have lost all our patience as we have no clue of whats happening.We do not know why our government is silent and has not come to our help," said angry residents.

Idukki Lok Sabha Congress member Dean Kuriakose said Vijayan has joined hands with Tamil Nadu and the least that he should do is to immediately go to Delhi and raise issues with those who matter.Angry Kerala opposition these days continues to attack Vijayan, accusing him of adopting double standards.

Vijayan and the then Leader of Opposition V.S.were chief ministers in Oommen Chandys government on December 8, 2011.Achuthanandan was part a 208km long human chain that saw lakhs of people taking part from the Mullaperiyar dam site at Kochi to the Arabian Sea at Kochi.

They took a pledge for a new Mullaperiyar dam.Vijayan now claims the dam is safe, and this is what the whole opposition is now highlighting.Vijayan has so far not responded on the issue.

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