New dam can't be built with just a few stones: Kerala CM on Mullapperiyar
 Explaining his controversial statement on the safety of Mullapperiyar Dam, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that building a dam is no joke. It needs the full backing of Tamil Nadu and Central government.Â
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Kerala should be able to convince Tamil Nadu and the Centre that the structure of the Mullaperiyar dam is weak. It could could be only possible through dialogue.
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Addressing a function organised by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to felicitate its ministers at Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayan clarified that his government has not backtracked from Kerala's demand for a new dam. Â But issues cannot be resolved through confrontation with the neighbouring state. An international expert team must inspect the condition of the present dam, he said.Â
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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's statement that Tamil Nadu's claims on reinforcing the dam structure need not be dismissed had created a furore in Kerala with the opposition calling it a 'betrayal' and VS Achuthanandan seeking more clarification on the statement.Â