Thiruvananthapuram: The Tamil Nadu government's long-term plan of increasing the water level at Mullaperiyar Dam has been given a boost as Kerala has cleared a technical barrier that stood in the way.
The Kerala government has reportedly given permission to the neighbouring state to remove the trees that were a hindrance to the strengthening work on the baby dam near the main structure.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to his Kerala counterpart, Pinarayi Vijayan thanking him for the permission.
"I have been informed by our officers of the Water Resources Department that the permission for felling the fifteen trees downstream of the Baby Dam at Mullaperiyar Dam has been granted by the Forest Department of Kerala," wrote Stalin in his letter.
"This long-pending request was crucial to strengthen the Baby Dam and Earthern Dam and this permission would enable us to initiate steps for strengthening these structures."
Stalin said in his letter that the development would benefit the "people of both states".
He also ensured the Tamil Nadu government's "commitment to undertake all steps needed to further strengthen the Mullaperiyar Dam and ensure the safety of the people living downstream."
The Tamil Nadu government has also requested permission to repair the roads between Vandiperiyar and the dam site to transport materials.
On Friday a ministerial delegation from Tamil Nadu had visited the dam site. Durai Murugan, the minister for water resources, had said that Tamil Nadu was ready to strengthen the baby dam, an auxilliary structure on the right of the main dam.
