Mullaperiyar dam strong to hold 142 ft of water; Ker concerned

The Supreme Court-appointed Mullaiperiyar dam Monitoring Committee today said the dam is strong enough to hold 142 feet of water, a contentious level over which Tamil Nadu and Kerala are at loggerheads, even as the latter expressed concern over its safety.
"The dam is in good condition by all parameters and strong enough to hold 142 feet of water. The baby dam (auxiliary dam near Mullaperiyar) was also quite strong," Committee chairman Nathan told reporters after visiting the dam site and holding discussions with his officials.
He said the Tamil Nadu government had been advised to make arrangements to strengthen the dam further to hold 152 feet, the original maximum level of the reservoir.

In Chennai, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said he had urged Tamil Nadu government to 'understand' its concerns over the dam's stability, while indicating it had no problems sharing water with its neigh neighbour.
He reiterated his government's stand that the 117-year-old structure was not safe and expressed concern over safety of people nearby.
Chandy also claimed that wildlife had been 'affected' with the water-level touching 142 feet.

Meanwhile PWD officials at the dam site said a complaint had been filed about a Kerala MLA visiting the area without permission of dam officials and reportedly intimidating them.
They had also stressed the need to deploy the CISF at the dam, so that better security could be provided.

Kerala has been insisting that the level be maintained at 136 feet, while Tamil Nadu wants to raise it to 142 feet.
The Supreme Court had earlier this year rejected Kerala's demand for a new dam in place of the old one and upheld Tamil Nadu's stand to raise the water level upto 142 feet.
On Jul 2,the Centre constituted a three-member supervisory committee headed by a senior Central Water Commission official to supervise restoration of Full Reservoir Level in the dam to 142 feet.
The Water Resources Ministry had issued the order on July 1 following the May 7 Supreme Court order.