Tamil Nadu on Thursday rejected Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan's proposal for a new course of action for the 130-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.
This comes after Satheesan had reiterated the state’s demand for a new dam during the 31st Southern Zonal Council Meeting held in Mahabalipuram. He added that his government was ready to fund the entire cost of constructing a new Mullaperiyar Dam, adding that Tamil Nadu would decide its location and oversee the dam’s construction.
Satheesan also noted that Tamil Nadu would get the full share of water from the dam.
However, Tamil Nadu CM C. Joseph Vijay said that he would stick to the state's original demand of raising the dam's height to 142 feet—in line with a 2014 directive from the Supreme Court.
Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar echoed this, noting that Kerala's demand for a new dam could not be accepted.
Kumar added that several Supreme Court committees had examined and confirmed that the existing Mullaperiyar dam was very strong in its current state, and that there was no need to build a new one.
These demands were among the key issues discussed at the Southern Zonal Council meeting on Thursday, which comprises Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as the Union Territories of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Puducherry.
The council serves as a forum for addressing disputes between the Union government and the states, as well as disputes among the states themselves.
'Water for Tamil Nadu, safety for Kerala'
The Mullaperiyar dam is located in the Idukki district of Kerala and is operated by the Tamil Nadu government.
The water from the dam is supplied to the Tamil Nadu districts of Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram—majorly for the agricultural needs of these districts.
Recently, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson said that his government would pursue raising the water level of the existing Mullaperiyar dam as per the Supreme Court’s 2014 directive allowing the state to raise the water level to 142 feet.
Meanwhile, Kerala had objected to this proposal by reiterating the dam’s age and safety concerns.
The state has positioned itself on the principle of 'water for Tamil Nadu, safety for Kerala' in its proposal for a new dam. However, in light of Tamil Nadu's response, it is yet to be seen how Kerala will take the matter forward.
