Bangalore: DVS Tells Kerala CM - Vehicle Ban in Bandipur Tiger Reserve to Stay
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Dec 18: Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda told his Kerala counterpart Oommen Chandy that the ban on movement of vehicles during night on National Highway 212 (NH-212) (Bandipur tiger reserve – Sulthan Batheri road) will continue.
The Kerala Chief Minister called on Gowda at his Home Office, 'Krishna,’ in Bangalore on Sunday.
Chandy visited the City to attend a meeting of Southern Zone Chief Ministers and Union Territories presided by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee.
Gowda told the delegation led by Chandi that ban on night traffic would continue in the interest of wild life and also in the wake of the High Court order as many animals, including elephants, leopards, sloth bears, sambars, had been killed by speeding vehicles.
Most of the deaths of wild animals happen at NH 212.
The Chief Minister said the State Government is bound to follow the High Court order and refused to lift the ban.
Amicable Settlement of Mullaperiyar Dam Issue
Asserting that the safety of the people is of utmost importance, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday said Kerala wanted an amicable settlement of the Mullaperiyar dam issue with Tamil Nadu.
He was speaking to presspersons after attending a meeting of southern zone Chief Ministers and Union Territories presided by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee here on Sunday.
Chandy discussed the dam issue with Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam who also attended the meeting.
The Kerala Government’s first option was to find an amicable solution to the issue keeping the good relations between Kerala and Tamil Nadu intact, he said.
''We have clearly stated that there is no water dispute with Tamil Nadu,” Chandy said explaining that ''the state accords utmost importance to the safety of its people and will assure the same quantity of water from the dam to Tamil Nadu.”
“Our concern is water to Tamil Nadu and safety to Kerala people. The dam is more than century old and built using old technology. We have ensure that the lives of people living downstream were not put in danger in the event of a breach in the Mullaperiyar dam,” he said.
Noting that Kerala has maintained cordial relations with Tamil Nadu, Chandy said: “Five districts of the neighboring state are depending on the dam water. We are getting fruits and vegetables from Tamil Nadu and there is no dispute at all on sharing water.”
The Kerala Chief Minister said a special one-day session of the State Assembly adopted a resolution calling upon the Central and State governments to take steps for construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar and to lower the water level in the existing dam to 120 feet and declaring the State’s commitment to continue supplying water in the present quantity to Tamil Nadu.