Thiruvananthapuram, Monday, August 23, 2010: The five member high-level empowered committee constituted by a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court to examine the safety aspects of the Mullaperiyar dam has decided to visit the dam. This decision was taken in the High-level committee meeting held at New Delhi today; the date of the visit would be decided on October 15th.

The meeting has also granted both Kerala and Tamil Nadu to submit the documents and evidences regarding the Mullapperiyar case. This was the second sitting of the committee.

Kerala sticks on to its stand to build a new dam at Mullaperiyar. Kerala has also requested to consider its study report on the insecurity of the dam and the ecological problems that may arise if the water level rises.

On the contrary, Tamil Nadu is against constructing a new dam. Both the states have been arguing about the Mullaperiyar dam built under a co-signed agreement in 1886 between the Maharaja of Travancore and the British authorities.

The dam, which is located in the Idukki district of Kerala, serves the districts of Tamil Nadu which in recent years, has made demands that the storage capacity of the dam be increased from 136 feet (41.5 m) to 142 feet (43 m) to meet the rising demand of water needed for irrigation.

However, Kerala is asking for the construction of a new dam saying that the existing structure had outlived its safety and longevity. Tamil Nadu insists that raising water levels in Mullaperiyar’s reservoir is necessary to irrigate large tracts in the state.