Thiruvananthapuram, Monday, June 15, 2009: Calling for an immediate intervention from the center regarding the Mullaperiyar dam, Kerala Irrigation Minister NK Premachandran said, Tamil Nadu’s laxity towards the issue cannot be tolerated any more.

Talking to reporters here, NK Premachandran said, due to the pressure the safety of the dam is once again at stake, the expert committee report also supports the same, it suggests for further study on the leakage and cracks on the dam, only a new dam is the permanent solution to the issue he said.

Minister also added that a letter would be send to Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, his counter part Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Both Kerala and TN has been in logger heads over the issue for years, while, the government of Tamil Nadu has proposed an increase in the storage level of the dam from the currently maintained 136 feet to 142 feet.

The Kerala government has opposed this move, citing safety concerns for the more than hundred year old bridge and especially for the thickly populated districts downstream.