Thiruvanathapuram: Reiterating its commitment
to build a new dam at Mullaperiyar in place of the existing
116 year-old structure there, Kerala budget on Monday set apart
Rs 50 crore for initial expense for the construction.
Presenting the budget for the year 2012-2013, Finance
Minister K M Mani termed the dam safety issue as "volatile"
and "very serious."
He said the new dam is planned to be built 1300 ft beneath
the existing dam in keeping with the state's policy of "water
for Tamil Nadu and safety for Kerala.'
The existing dam posed a threat to the life and assets of
lakhs of people living downstream in five districts in the
state, he said.
But Tamil Nadu, which gets water from the dam to irrigate
five districts, is opposed to Kerala's stand, holding that
it is strong as the state has taken up periodical maintenance.
The dispute is now before the Supreme Court, which has
appointed an Empowered Committee to examine the safety and
other aspects of the present dam.
PTI
First Published: Monday, March 19, 2012, 21:49