Chennai, Dec 14 (ANI): Stating that the country cannot afford water conflicts akin to the ongoing row over the Mullaperiyar Dam, Former President Dr. A.P J. Abdul Kalam on Wednesday suggested the creation of a national grid interlinking rivers to avert future water crises.
Reflecting on the ongoing row between the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the Mullaperiyar Dam, Kalam warned that such conflicts could adversely impact India's growth story.
"Water cannot be a point of conflict. India cannot afford to have a civil war on water. Indians cannot afford to spend time fighting on water while we march towards the path of development," he said.
Highlighting the need to find innovative ways to ward off impending water crises, Kalam called for the creation of a national 'water-grid', similar in principle to highways, which would interlink rivers, tributaries and other water-sources.
"We need to have a national water grid. That means we need to nationalise rivers and its resources such as dams and interlinking of the rivers and create smart waterways across the states," said Kalam.
The Supreme Court had earlier on Tuesday asked both Tamil Nadu and Kerala to maintain restraint on their statements on the Mullaperiyar Dam row.
The apex court, which urged for "sanity and sensitiveness" on the issue, rued that the two states were adding fuel to the fire instead of dousing it.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu are locked in a dispute over the dam located in Idduki District. The dam and the river are located in Kerala, but the dam is controlled and operated by Tamil Nadu. The safety of the dam has been a matter of concern and a point of dispute between the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.While Tamil Nadu, the custodian of the structure, wants to increase the water level in the reservoir, Kerala has been insisting that it be reduced from the current 136 feet to 120 feet.Kerala apprehends that this past-expiry date dam could crash and cause untold destruction in the state. Kerala is arguing for the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar in place of the existing one, which is being opposed by Tamil Nadu. (ANI)
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