While the dam is located in Idukki district of Kerala, it serves Tamil Nadu. In recent years, Tamil Nadu has demanded that the storage level of the dam be raised from 41.5 m to 43 m to meet the state's increasing demand of water for irrigation.

'Talks between the chief ministers of the two states have failed to find a solution and right now a case is on in the Supreme Court. The centre should help us in this to resolve the difference of opinion,' said Premachandran.

After 18 legislators from both sides spoke on the issue, the house unanimously passed a resolution contending that there was no option but to build a new dam due to concerns over safety of the existing structure and of the millions of residents in the three nearby districts of Kerala.