Kerala ready for talks with TN on Mullaperiyar:Premachandran

Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 (UNI) Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran today reiterated that the state was ready for talks with the Tamil Nadu government to find a solution to the Mullaperiyar Dam issue.

Responding to questions in the Assembly from V D Satheesan (Cong) and others, he said though the Dam Safety Authority, constituted by the state government as per the guidelines of the Centre, had informed the actual condition of the Dam to Tamil Nadu thrice, no reply had been received from them so far.

Tamil Nadu had filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the state's right to set up such an Authority and about its powers, he said adding the Apex court had posted the hearing of the petition to July 24.

Mr Premachandran clarified that the Authority was not constituted for solving water issues between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but to check the security aspects of the 22 dams in the state as directed by the Centre.

Stating that the government has no plan to interfere in the functioning of the Authority, he said it had already inspected 12 dams, including Mullaperiyar.

Tamil Nadu wanted to raise the water level from the present 136 feet to 142 feet in the dam situated in Idukki district bordering the two states while Kerala insisted that the water level be maintained at 136 feet, considering the safety and security of the more than 100-year old dam, he said.

The Supreme Court had suggested that the issue should be solved through dialogues between the two states.

UNI