Thiruvananthapuram: There is currently no cause for concern regarding the safety of Idukki's 125-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated on Thursday. Vijayan also said the stand taken by the state government so far on the issue will continue. He was responding to reporters' queries regarding Congress MP Dean Kuriakose reportedly raising safety concerns over the dam in the Lok Sabha.

"There is no need to be concerned with regard to the Mullaperiyar dam at the moment. The stand by the state government on the issue will continue," Vijayan said.

In the Lok Sabha, Kuriakose had reportedly referred to the dam as a "water bomb" and demanded that it be decommissioned. The Mullaperiyar dam was built in 1895.

While Tamil Nadu has been maintaining that the dam is "absolutely safe", Kerala has been vociferous in its demand for a new dam to be built near the existing structure.
(With PTI inputs.)