General secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Vaiko has urged the people of Kerala to join the fight against the proposed India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in Theni district.

In a statement, Mr. Vaiko claimed that it would cause more harm to Idukki district. People and political parties in Tamil Nadu and Kerala should jointly fight against the project. The Mullaperiyar dam was not a threat to the Idukki district but the INO would be a real threat, he said.

Mr. Vaiko said Pottipuram in Theni district was the last choice of the Union government after the sites in the Himalayas, Assam, Kerala and The Nilgiris were given up. The INO, which would be the world’s largest observatory, would harm not only the environment but also the livelihood of farmers. The Modi government, backed by Hindutva forces, was conspiring to destroy the natural resources of Tamil Nadu through a series of projects, he alleged.

The MDMK leader claimed that seismic vibrations caused by blasting of rocks to create a tunnel for the INO would cause damage to the dams in a circumference of 70 km and Idukki district would be the worst hit.

Hence, the two States should join hands in the struggle to oppose the INO. Mr. Vaiko stressed that the Tamil Nadu government should not extend any cooperation to the project as it had a responsibility to stop it.