Kerala: New dam only permanent solution

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 7: Reiterating that century-old Mullaperiyar Dam was in a dangerous condition, Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran today told the State Assembly that construction of a new dam was the only permanent solution.

Replying to submissions, he said the findings of the study by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) justified the state's demand for construction of a new dam on the site.

The study conducted by the institute said the dam would be 'Hydrologically Unsafe' in the event of heavy rainfall.

The Minister said the government would submit the reports of IIT-D and other agencies to the Supreme Court to strengthen its argument.

He said the state government had also formed a special cell exclusively to conduct the case related to the Mullaperiyar Dam against Tamil Nadu.

The cell was headed by Mr M K Parameswaran Nair, Former Member of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

The 111-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam, located in Idukki District of Kerala, is operated by Tamil Nadu Government.

The dispute between the two states arose after Tamil Nadu demanded increase in storage level of the dam to 152 feet so that it could bring more areas under irrigation.

Kerala, however, opposed the move by stating that an increase in the storage level would endanger the lives of people in the thickly-populated districts downstream.

UNI