Asking the Prime Minister to intervene in the Mullaperiyar issue owing to Tamil Nadu’s no-response attitude, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Friday asked the Centre to accord permission to build a new dam at Mullaperiyar.

Reiterating that Tamil Nadu too had a responsibility to protect people’s lives, Chandy led a delegation of ministers from Kerala and apprised PM Modi of Kerala’s concerns, regarding the alarming rise in water levels at the Mullaperiyar dam in Idukki district of Kerala.

Modi reportedly assured Chandy of the Centre’s willingness to initiate all safety measures needed to assuage Kerala’s apprehensions, regarding the existing dam-structure.

The water level stayed at 141 feet on Friday, just a foot short of the permissible level of 142 feet. Tamil Nadu however is yet to act on its promise of bringing down the rising water level at its end.