Chennai, Dec 12 (IANS): DMK leader M.K. Stalin Monday asked Kerala not to play with the lives of people of Tamil Nadu by "false propaganda" about the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam.

Addressing a gathering ahead of a protest fast at Tambaram near here, Stalin said: "Political parties in Kerala are carrying out false propaganda about the safety of Mullaperiyar dam."

The former deputy chief minister warned them "not to play with lives of people living in southern Tamil Nadu".

The DMK is holding a protest fast across the state between 8 a.m and 5 p.m. Monday and will organise a human chain Wednesday in Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindugal and Ramanathapuram districts.

They are demanding that the central government deploy forces at the dam and also want the water storage level to be raised to 142 ft from 136 ft as per the 2006 Supreme Court order.

The protest fast was inaugurated by DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan and will be concluded by party president and former chief minister M. Karunanidhi at the party headquarters.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam that is located in Kerala; however, its water serves Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu wants the dam's storage capacity to be increased while Kerala wants a new one as it fears a strong earthquake might damage the dam and cause widespread destruction.