Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said that he is seriously considering holding talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay regarding the long-pending Mullaperiyar dam issue.
The Mullaperiyar dam, built in 1895, is located in Idukki district of Kerala. At the same time, the administration of the dam is with Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu, which has been repeatedly saying that the dam is structurally safe, is keen to raise the water level. Meanwhile, Kerala, which raises concerns about the safety of the dam and puts up obstacles, insists that a new dam should be built near the existing one.
In this context, when Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan was speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, he was asked whether Tamil Nadu is planning to raise the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam.
To that, he replied, “The Mullaperiyar dam issue is still pending. Talks are being held at the officials’ level on this matter. At the same time, I am seriously considering holding direct talks with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.”
