Water level in Mullaperiyar to be raised: Jayalalithaa

Chennai, July 9:

Chief Minister J

said on Wednesday the water storage level in the

will soon be raised to 142 feet under a

order.

In a statement issued here, she said owing the existence of efficient government in the state a just judgement was obtained in the Mullaperiyar Dam case and a supervisory panel has been formed.

"Soon, as per the Supreme Court's judgement, the storage level in the Mullaperiyar Dam will be raised to 142 feet," the chief minister said.

Jayalalithaa said Kerala has not petitioned the Supreme Court to stay the meeting of the supervisory panel for Mullaperiyar Dam as alleged by DMK leader M. Karunanidhi.

She said the people of Tamil Nadu would not forgive Karunanidhi for instigating Kerala to file such a petition.

The chief minister said the first meeting of the supervisory panel was held July 8 at Thiruvanathapuram in Kerala and the next meeting is slated July 17.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam, built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the British rulers.

While it is located in Kerala, the control of the dam is with Tamil Nadu and its waters serve the state.

Tamil Nadu wants the dam's storage capacity to be increased from the current 136 feet (41.5 metres) to 142 feet (43 metres) while Kerala wants a new dam as the control will be with it.

IANS