Kerala   

Kerala firm on demand for new dam: Minister

Staff Reporter

Tamil Nadu assured of same quantum of water

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran has said that the State Government will not go back on its demand for a new Mullaperiyar dam in place of the century-old structure which is posing a grave threat to the lives and properties of thousands of people downstream.

Inaugurating a convention organised by the Confederation of Mullaperiyar Action Committees here on Thursday, the Minister said Kerala was ready to ensure that Tamil Nadu got the same quantum of water it had been receiving during the last 20 years from the new dam also.

He said the State Government had prepared a preliminary project report for constructing a new dam about 1,300 feet down the existing one. A detailed project report would be prepared later. The new dam, he said, was estimated to cost about Rs.260 crore. If Tamil Nadu was not coming forward to share the cost, Kerala would have to construct it on its own. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P.C. Cyriac said Kerala should demand decommissioning of the existing dam in a phased manner because of its unsafe condition.

The proposal for an alternative dam should then come from Tamil Nadu. He suggested that the Kerala Government should draw the attention of Tamil Nadu to the manner in which they had to fight with Karnataka for water from Kaveri river though the river is flowing through their State.

In the case of the disputed Mullapperiyar dam, the river involved had totally been flowing through Kerala, and yet the State had never objected to supply of water to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Cyriac said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Kerala firm on demand for new dam: Minister
Walkout in Kerala Assembly over Nandigram
NDF activists attack Kottakkal police station; 27 arrested
Stringent action sought
Separate exams for SSLC regular, private students
The healing prowess of kalari
Garbage plant scheme reviewed
Congress organises State-wide dharna
Congress protests against LDF `anti-people' policies
On a trip
Walkout over Nandigram issue
Today at Sabarimala
Vigilance official transferred
Unflagging enthusiasm
Call to conserve water resources
Acquiring new skills
Fire and Rescue Services to be revamped
Dairy farmers Bill goes to Subject Committee
Next issue
Revised Cinema
Against official `apathy'
Rising in protest
Grant for Cusat
Around the City
Briefly

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu