Kerala for safety-first approach on Mullai dam

CHENNAI: Kerala on Wednesday appealed to Tamil Nadu to take a “humanitarian” view on the
proposal to construct a new dam at Mullaperiyar in place of the ageing dam on the
Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, which is over a century old.

The two states have been at loggerheads over the dam which serves irrigation
requirements of some districts of Tamil Nadu. At the heart of the two states’
disagreement over construction of a new dam is that the two have a 999-year
agreement on water-sharing from the dam, which would be altered if a new dam is
built. Any change in the water-sharing agreement is seen to be detrimental to Tamil
Nadu’s interests.

Kerala water resources minister PJ Joseph said in the state assembly today that the
state’s proposal for construction of a new dam was based on the safety of about 3
million people whose lives would be at risk if the ageing dam collapsed.

Joseph said the state government was willing to hold talks with Tamil Nadu for an
amicable settlement on the dam issue. The matter is now under consideration of a
Supreme court-appointed empowered committee.

His statement comes a few days after Tamil Nadu public works minister KV
Ramalingam said Tamil Nadu would oppose construction of a new dam. Ramalingam
said the fears expressed by Kerala about the dam’s safety were baseless and that the
water level in the dam ought to be raised. He said a higher water level in the dam
would benefit a significant number of farmers in different districts in Tamil Nadu.

Kerala has been demanding that the water level in the dam be limited to 136 feet,
while Tamil Nadu has been demanding that it be raised to 142 feet.

In recent times, there have been protests at Kambam on the Tamil Nadu border and
Kumily on the Kerala border over the differences between the two states on the
Mullaperiyar dam issue.