Kerala assures Tamil Nadu of full water supply from proposed Mullaperiyar dam
Kerala has reiterated its willingness to supply all water from the proposed new dam at Mullaperiyar to Tamil Nadu, as the state moves to replace the 130-year-old structure in Idukki district. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan conveyed the state's readiness at the 31st South Zonal Council meeting held at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, on Thursday (August 20, 2026). He reaffirmed Kerala's stand that it would bear the cost of the new dam, while Tamil Nadu would take responsibility for its design, construction and location. The Chief Minister also held a brief meeting with his Tamil Nadu counterpart, Joseph Vijay, on the sidelines of the conference.
The Mullaperiyar dam, located in Kerala's Idukki district, is operated by Tamil Nadu under a lease agreement. Kerala has been proposing a new dam for safety reasons, while Tamil Nadu has traditionally opposed the move, insisting on continuing with the existing structure. Kerala's latest offer is seen as an attempt to resolve the longstanding dispute while ensuring the safety of the structure.
At the zonal council meeting, Mr. Satheesan urged the Union government to annul the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, over which the state has already raised serious concerns. He requested the Centre not to auction mineral blocks off the Kerala coast "until a rigorous scientific assessment and a robust Standard Operating Procedure are in place." He noted that Kerala is cooperating fully with the Geological Survey of India and the Ministry of Mines in bringing its bauxite, beach sand and critical mineral blocks to auction, but he placed on record the state's serious concern regarding offshore mining of sand off the Kerala coast.
Mr. Satheesan also sought regional cooperation to develop Kerala as a 'Port City' under the state government's Mission Samudra, which was formally launched on August 18.
On inter-State security, he called for a "unified enforcement front" to counter narcotics trafficking, movement of organised criminal gangs across State lines, illegal migration and emerging cyber threats. He proposed that each State designate a senior officer as an Inter-State Police Nodal Officer and that structured arrangements for real-time intelligence sharing be institutionalised. He also called for intensified joint operations and patrolling along State borders.
Mr. Satheesan expressed concern that the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which Kerala implemented in a converged manner through the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi, has become increasingly inequitable for Kerala. The State now bears nearly 90% of the burden, he said. In the last policy year, Kerala's expenditure under the scheme stood at ₹1,493 crore, while the assistance received from the National Health Authority was only about ₹151 crore.
He further urged the Centre to either fully exempt Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses from National Highway tolls or offer them a "substantially concessional" tariff. In June this year alone, the KSRTC remitted over ₹2.16 crore towards the NH toll, he noted. Mr. Satheesan also called for support for the Thalassery-Mysore and Nilambur-Nanjangud rail lines, and requested the Centre to permit coastal protection works and resettlement of erosion-displaced families under the National and State Disaster Response and Mitigation Funds. He also expressed the view that women be given one-third reservation without increasing the total strength of Parliament.
