Chennai, January 06: Tamil Nadu said today it would continue to take steps to pursue all necessary legal action to prevent efforts by Kerala to construct an “unnecessary” new dam to replace the existing over-a-century-old Mullaperiyar reservoir to protect the interest of farmers of the state.
“We will continue to urge the Union Government to enable increasing the maximum level of storage of the existing dam across Mullaperiyar river in accordance with the judgement of the Supreme Court and to prevent efforts by Kerala Government to construct an unnecessary new dam,” Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said in his customary address to the Assembly.
The apex court had in 2006 allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the storage level to 142 ft from 136 ft.
–Agencies