Will protect Mullaperiyar dam, Kerala assures Supreme Court

Kerala Thursday assured the Supreme Court that it would protect the Mullaperiyar Dam from any attacks by protestors while Tamil Nadu opposed Kerala's suggestion for convening of a meeting of the two states by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the resolution of the dispute.

On Tamil Nadu's plea seeking central security for the dam, the central government told the court that it could not deploy the Central Industrial Security Force without Kerala making such a request.

Tamil Nadu Tuesday cited threat to the dam structure from protestors while seeking CISF shield for it.

The 115-year-old dam is located in Kerala but its waters serve  Tamil Nadu, which also manages the earthen dam's affairs.

Tamil Nadu wants the dam's storage capacity to be increased from the current 136 feet (41.5 metres) to 142 feet (43 metres) as per a Supreme Court order, while Kerala wants a new dam in its place.

Recording the assurance by Kerala, the apex court expressed its inability to suggest to the prime minister to convene a meeting of the two states in the face of stiff opposition from Tamil Nadu.

"This may not be possible," the apex court constitution bench told Kerala's senior counsel Harish Salve.