With the ruling DMK, a key constituent of the UPA government, upping the ante on the Mullaperiyar dam issue, Union forests and environment minister Jairam Ramesh has decided to cancel his trip to the cool, scenic Singara hills in Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu,to inspect a possible site for the Indiabased Neutrino Observatory (INO).
Under pressure from the country’s top scientists, Ramesh had initially planned to visit Singara, in the periphery of Mudumalai tiger reserve in the first half of October, to personally survey the area and check if the setting up of the Rs 917 crore advanced underground laboratory for particle physicists would damage environment and wildlife.
The minister’s decision to cancel his Tamil Nadu visit could have much to do with his political discomfort caused by the controversy over the Mullaperiyar dam issue. A few weeks back, the standing committee of national board for wildlife, presided over by Jairam Ramesh gave the nod for the Kerala government to conduct a survey in Periyar tiger reserve where the Mullaperiyar dam is located.
Despite the Tamil Nadu government’s protests, Ramesh stood his ground claiming that the “narrow, technical approval” granted under the Forest Conservation Act would in no way come in the way of the legal dispute over the issue. Sensing that the TN sentiments were not in his favour, the Union environment minister has now decided to cancel his Singara visit. Jairam told TOI that he would be sending Rajesh Gopal,member secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority, instead to discuss the issue with state officials.
On Thursday, MDMK general secretary Vaiko flayed Ramesh for interfering with the state’s rights particularly when the government here had not yet given permission for the location.
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