Mullaperiyar Dam Row Escalates as Kerala, Tamil Nadu Leaders Meet with Prime Minister

Tensions are running high between the governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu as a row over the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam escalates. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy recently met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who directed him to meet with Water Resources Minister Pawan Bansal to discuss the issue further. The meeting came after the Prime Minister told Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that nothing should be said or done to create "undue alarm" about the dam's safety. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has accused Kerala of whipping up a "fear psychosis" over the issue, with Kerala Chief Minister Chandy citing safety concerns and seeking a reduction in the water level in the reservoir.

Key Takeaways:

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the Mullaperiyar Dam row, which has escalated in recent days.
The Prime Minister directed Chandy to meet with Water Resources Minister Pawan Bansal to "sort out outstanding issues and allay genuine concerns."
Tamil Nadu has accused Kerala of creating a "fear psychosis" over the dam's safety, with Kerala citing concerns about tremors and a potential risk to the dam.
The Prime Minister has asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to cooperate on the issue and avoid creating "undue alarm" among the people.
The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court to restrain Kerala from making any controversial statements about the dam.

Statistics:

116 years: The age of the Mullaperiyar Dam, which has been a point of contention between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
26 tremors: The number of tremors that have occurred in the area around the dam in the last five months, cited by Kerala as a concern.
120 feet: The water level reduction sought by Kerala Chief Minister Chandy as a step to remove fears of lakhs of people living close to the dam.
142 feet: The water level in the dam that Kerala has been ordered to allow by the Supreme Court.

Sources:

Sahara India Tele Vision, distributed by Contify.com