Dam 999

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday night held consultations with water resources minister PK Bansal on the Mullaperiyar dam - an old dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which has been reignited by a movie, Dam 999, and fresh cracks on the dam following two minor quakes in the region.

"It is amongst themselves that the matter can be sorted out. We can only play a role of facilitator. We want the matter to be sorted out amicably between the two states," Bansal told reporters in Delhi later. MPs from Kerala decided to take up the matter with the Prime Minister after DMK MPs raked up the issue in the Lok Sabha following a film based on damage wreaked by the collapse of a dam. TN MPs said that the film was based on the story of Mullaperiyar Dam and this would prejudice the state's interests.

Political censorship also forced theatre owners in Tamil Nadu to not screen Dam 999, saying it was against the interests of the state. DMK, PMK and MDMK had demanded a ban on the movie.

Kerala's fears for the safety of the dam was exacerbated recently after mild tremors in the region saw the 116-year-old dam developing fresh cracks. Kerala has been warning that the life of several lakh people in four of its districts were in danger. Tamil Nadu, the sole beneficiary of the water released from the dam situated in Kerala but controlled by Tamil Nadu, had not only rubbished Kerala's fears but has been demanding increase in the height of the dam.

The inter-state dispute, which has been in the Supreme Court for long, however, looks far from being resolved any day soon. Kerala says that the agreement on Mullaperiyar, which gives Tamil Nadu rights over the dam for 999 years, is one-sided, since it was signed by Madras Presidency and the king of Travancore during the British era. Kerala had, however, proposed construction of a new dam but Tamil Nadu has been opposing it, saying it would affect its interest.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi in a statement said that if the film was released in the state, it would affect cordial ties between people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and create a law and order problem. MDMK chief Vaiko said the film - financed by Keralites, starring Indian and Hollywood actors and directed by Sohan Roy - has been named 'Dam 999', referring to the legal rights held by Tamil Nadu over the dam for 999 years.

He warned of protests in theatres if the film was released. MDMK workers were arrested on Tuesday after they staged a protest outside a theatre in the city, where a preview of the movie was arranged, besides damaging the film roll.

Almost timing with the release of the movie, a mild earthquake that rocked the dam area last week had caused new cracks on the dam. Since March, Idukki district has been rocked by 22 mild tremors. The epicentres of the some of the earthquakes were close to Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams, both in Idukki district. Experts fear the possibility of a major earthquake in the district.