Kerala-Tamil Nadu dam row takes a new twist

A new twist has been added to the long simmering row over the 112-year-old Mullaperiyar dam with Tamil Nadu putting up a board at the dam site barring any "trespass" into the dam site.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan slammed the move as "ridiculous" and said Kerala was not going to fall into the trap to create provocation.

It was simply ridiculous that a board had been placed (by Tamil Nadu) at the land owned by Kerala even after the Supreme Court had asked the two states to settle the dispute over raising the water level through talks, Achuthanandan told reporters yesterday.

He was replying to questions on reports that Tamil Nadu had put up a board at the dam site cautioning against trespassing into the area.

While Kerala was against raising the water level of the reservoir above 136 feet on safety grounds, Tamil Nadu wanted the water level to be raised to 142 feet.