Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has held detailed discussions with Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in New Delhi on Tuesday on Mullapperiyar dam safety issue. He informed the Union Minister about the steps initiated by Kerala government to build a new dam in Mullapperiyar. At the same time, on the direction of the Supreme Court, drilling process is continuing to procure the sample of surkhi (mix of lime, sand and jaggery material used 116 years ago from the dam to assess the safety of the structure. Engineering experts from Central Water Power Research Station and Kerala are monitoring the process carried out with most modern machines.Meanwhile, water level of the dam has come down to almost 120 feet since Tamil Nadu is drawing more water from the dam. In Idukki, agitation and satygraha demanding construction of a new dam decommissioning the present one is continuing.