Tamil Nadu sticks to its contention that the Mullaperiyar dam is safe and the construction of a new dam is unwarranted. THE Tamil Nadu government's display of calm confidence in its stand-off with Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam issue is in sharp contrast to the anger among farmers in Madurai, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts over what they see as Kerala's attempts to precipitate matters on the issue.