Mullaperiyar dam: Hopes rise as 'political maturity' paves way for solution

The agreement on the dam dates back to 1886, when the Travancore king signed the Periyar Lease Deed with the British government, allowing the diversion of water from the river

Since the 1960s, the Mullaperiyar dam has surfaced regularly as a contentious issue between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. For decades, the dam and its safety used to create panic among millions of people living in the downstream districts of Kerala, whenever rain intensified. On the other side, the water is a lifeline for over 208,000 hectares of agricultural land in around five districts of Tamil Nadu.

However, experts indicate that for the first time in over six decades, each of the two chief ministers (this time M K Stalin of Tamil Nadu and Pinarayi Vijayan of Kerala) has shown sensitiveness towards