Government faults Advocate General on dam issue

THIRUVNANTHAPURAM: Kerala Government today virtually denounced state Advocate General K P Dandapani for making statements in the High Court which allegedly contradicted the state's stand on the Mullaperiyar dam issue."The statements made by the AG in the court are not that of the government. He should have acted with sufficient forethought while handling a delicate issue like this", Revenue Minister Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan told reporters in Kottayam.Asked about the possibility of action against the AG for allegedly making oral submissions which went against the state's case, Radhakrishnan said this was an issue to be discussed at the "higher (political) level."Dandapani had been under attack from both opposition LDF and ruling UDF for his statements in the court, though he strongly refuted that his words were misinterpreted by a section of the media as he did not say anything that contradicted the state's case.CPI-M leader V S Achuthanandan yesterday wanted Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to take steps for removal of Dandapani from the post.Leaders from the Congress and its UDF allies also demanded action against the AG arguing it came as big setback to consistent efforts by the government to push its case for a new dam on the ground that the existing structure is too weak and if it broke a vast area would be flooded.While making statements in the court yesterday on the safety measures being taken by the government in the event of the dam's collapse, Dandapani purportedly said three downstream dams of Idukki, Kulavamuvu and Cheruthoni could hold the waters of Mullaperiyar.Though Dandapani clarified later his statements were 'distorted' by a section of the media, Leader of Opposition in the assembly V S Achuthanandan immediately seized on the issue demanding the AG's resignation arguing it amounted to weakening Kerala's case.