Mullaperiyar dam: Kerala to discuss rising water level with Centre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala government will take up with Centre the state's safety concern over rising water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir at Idukki district with water level touching 141.8 feet.

Answering a submission in the assembly on the issue by Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government was closely monitoring the situation at the dam.

"Government is closely watching the situation and is committed to provide protection to the life and property of people in the areas near the dam", Chennithala said.

"The state would inform the Centre its anxiety over rising water level at the 112-year old dam, which is a centre of inter-state dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu", he said.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will take up this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his scheduled visit to Delhi later this week, he said.

Achuthanadan said that state administration was "indifferent" even as water level at the Mullaperiyar dam was on rise.

Idukki administration officials were camping at the dam site to face any emergency situation and take necessary measures in the event of opening the dam shutters when the water level crosses 142 feet, which was fixed by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court on December 3 last year had dismissed the Kerala government's plea to review its May 7, 2014 verdict holding as safe the 120-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam and allowing Tamil Nadu to raise water level to 142 feet and ultimately to 152 feet after completion of strengthening measures on the dam.