Achuthanandan raises dam safety issue at the CMs meeting

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today asserted that his state did not intend to deny its waters to Tamil Nadu, but suggested that a new dam be constructed in Mullaperiyar as a replacement to the 112-year-old dam to ensure the safety of 3.5 million people living downstream.

Speaking at the Centre-sponsored meeting of Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu to resolve the vexed Mullaperiyar dam dispute, he pointed out that the dam was commissioned in 1895 and it was constructed at a time when the technology for building dams was much inferior to the present day technology.

"It was constructed with rubble and lime surkhi. Over the years, a large quantity of lime has leached making the old dam structurally weak," he said, adding "normally for a dam of this nature the life span is only 50 years." Maintaining that the storage level in the dam should not be raised beyond 136 ft, he asserted that the "entire structure is unsafe and dangerous." Mr Achuthanandan said that the dam was situated at the junction of two fault zones which has high seismic potential. There have been several earthquakes during the recent past. "I fail to think what would happen if even a moderate intensity earthquake centring around the dam site takes place." He made a strong case for the construction of a new, modern, technically sound dam by keeping in mind both the safety concerns as well as availability of water for Tamil Nadu.

"The safety concerns that we technologically address in this dam will take care of seismic activities and their impact on the dam," Mr Achuthanandan said.

"What we are proposing is a new dam that would provide water to the people of Tamil Nadu and remove the shadow of fear from the minds of the people of Kerala," he added.

UNI SH PA KN1601