Dam row: Tension mounts on borders, security beefed up
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Tension over the Mullaperiyar dam issue mounted in the border town of Kumili and adjoining areas on Sunday as marchers from Tamil Nadu side threatened to cross into the state, prompting police to further tighten security.
Road to Theni area in Tamil Nadu remained closed and a large police contingent, including Rapid Action Force personnel, had been deployed to prevent the marchers from crossing over and brewing trouble.
On Tamil Nadu side, police blocked roads to check marchers from pushing to Kerala. Senior police officials from both sides were in constant touch with each other to keep the situation tightly under control.
Inspector General of Police R. Sreelekha, who was here to review the situation, said additional forces were deployed in the area on Sunday.
Vigil also heightened in alternate routes, by-lanes and forest trekking paths as well in view of the possibility of protesters filtering in through them, police sources said.
Kumili town, which has an array of curio and spices shops normally busy with tourists coming to the close by lake-side resort Thekkady on the banks of the river Periyar, wore a deserted look.
Police asked shops to down shutters and put up metal barricades across the road and sealed the border chek post, halting to and fro traffic totally.
Police said so far no untoward incident had been reported from any part of the area, where prohibitory orders have been in force since early last week.
Opposition leader and CPI(M) stalwart V. S. Achuthanandan wanted all national parties to formulate their stand on the dam issue by taking into account the spirit of the unanimous resolution passed by Kerala Assembly last week, which called for a new dam and lowering the water level in the existing reservoir to 120 feet.
Talking to reporters in Palakkad, Achuthanandan said he would join Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to press for the state's demand.
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