KOTTAYAM: Union Science and Technology Minister Ashwani Kumar's statement that the 115-year-old Mullaperiyar dam is safe has not gone down well in Kerala with ruling front ally Kerala Congress (Man

The minister of state for science and technology and earth sciences, Mr.

Rejects Tamil Nadu's stand that a new dam is not necessary as the present one is safe

Despite the unanimous opinion of two experts of the Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee that the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam is safe, Kerala has pressed for the construction of a new dam. In a fresh application filed before the committee, Kerala said, “The public authority is endowed with responsibility to take a final call on the replacement of a dam by considering the human factors, viz., the extent and nature of damage to life and property, if dam fails and ecological considerations.”

KOCHI: Kerala High Court today disposed of a batch of petitions raising concern over safety of the Mullaperiyar Dam after some petitioners expressed satisfaction over measures taken by the state government.

The petitioners, including Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, had moved the court complaining of the inadequacies of the safety measures.

The 35th Chennai book fair started on a controversial note after May 17, a pro-Tamil group, staged a protest in the fair venue demanding that the Malayala Manorama publication stall be removed, and

T. Shivaji Rao, Director, Centre for Environmental Studies, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, has sent a memorandum to Tamil Nadu Governor K.

Officials sources clarified here on Friday that Kerala's expression of willingness for joint control of the proposed new dam on the Mullaperiyar was about water regulation only.

The proposal placed before the Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court earlier was that the ownership, control and maintenance of the new dam would vest with Kerala. A joint water regulatory board could be in charge of water regulation.

Tamil Nadu on Friday told the Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee that the Mullaperiyar dam had been strengthened and was being well maintained.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that the model of a joint water supply and regulation management system that already exists between Kerala and Tamil Nadu for sharing of water from the Parambi

The State Government has expressed its favourable disposition to the idea of a ‘joint control' of the proposed new dam at Mullaperiyar.

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