Mullaperiyar new Dam announced in budget

July 08, 2011: The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala today announced in its first budget, setting up of a special authority to complete within four years construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar, over which it is locked in a row with Tamil Nadu.

Presenting the revised budget for the year 2011-12 in the state assembly, Finance Minister KM Mani said that Mullaperiyar was an issue of safety for Kerala and water for Tamil Nadu, which has raised objections to the new dam in place of the over century old existing structure.

Government policy was to ensure safety of the dam while providing water for Tamil Nadu, he said, while earmarking Rs five crore for the construction works this year.

State would submit a detailed project report for the construction of the new dam before the Supreme Court appointed empowered committee, he said.