Storage in Mullaperiyar dam cannot be raised: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 20 (UNI) Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran reiterated in the State Assembly today that the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam could not be raised from 136 feet considering the safety of the 110-year-old masonry dam and the concern of the people in the downstream.

Making a statement under Rule 300, he said Kerala viewed seriously the ''unilateral'' stand of Tamil Nadu on the issue without taking into consideration the concern of the people of five districts.

Mr Premachandran said Kerala was not opposed to provide water to Tamil Nadu, but it had to take into consideration the safety of the dam and the life and property of the people in the downstream.

The Minister said the Dam Safety Authority had visited Mullaperiyar recently and had reported seepage of water and alleged that Tamil Nadu was not cooperating with Kerala officials in measuring the seepage water.

The Centre for Earth Science Studies had undertaken a study of the dam following an earthquake in the vicinity of the dam and had reported that even minor tremors would cause serious threat to the dam.

He said even though Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M Karunanidhi on the issue, the reply of the latter was not ''encouraging.'' UNI PMM VV VD BS1429