Idukki, 28 June (H.S.):

The long-standing Mullaperiyar dam dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu will once again come under the spotlight as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources convenes an inter-state meeting in Munnar on Monday.

The meeting will be chaired by Rajeev Pratap Rudy, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources. Members of Parliament Jebi Mather and Dean Kuriakose, who are part of the committee, will also attend the discussions, along with representatives from the governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The meeting assumes significance amid renewed differences between the two neighbouring states over the future of the century-old Mullaperiyar dam. Kerala has consistently maintained that a new dam should be constructed, citing safety concerns and the need to protect lakhs of people living downstream in the Idukki region.

However, the newly elected Tamil Nadu government has firmly rejected Kerala's demand and instead reiterated its long-standing position that the water level in the existing dam should be raised. The issue was also highlighted in the Tamil Nadu government's policy statement, signalling that it remains a key priority for the state.

The dispute has gained further attention following recent developments concerning the Mullaperiyar Supervisory Committee. Kerala had strongly objected after its representative was removed from the committee, a decision that sparked political opposition and public concern. Although the decision was later withdrawn, it rekindled fears among residents of the Idukki region and led to renewed protests over the safety of the ageing dam.

Against this backdrop, the Parliamentary Standing Committee's meeting is expected to provide an important platform for both states to present their respective positions on the management, safety and operation of the Mullaperiyar dam.

The deliberations are likely to be closely watched, as the Mullaperiyar issue remains one of the most contentious and sensitive inter-state water disputes in the country, with both Kerala and Tamil Nadu continuing to hold sharply divergent views on the future of the dam.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman