Supreme Court addresses safety concerns regarding Mullaperiyar dam amid disputes between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The Supreme Court has requested responses from the Union government, as well as the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, regarding a petition that advocates for the decommissioning of the Mullaperiyar dam, which has been in existence for 130 years. The petition was submitted by the Save Kerala Brigade, a non-governmental organization that has raised alarms about the dam’s structural integrity.
Concerns have been articulated regarding the potential risks posed by the dam, particularly in light of climate change, increased flooding, and its location in a high seismic activity zone. The dam, originally constructed in 1895, is located in Idukki district along the Periyar River in Kerala, but it is managed by Tamil Nadu as per a pre-Independence lease agreement with the erstwhile princely State of Travancore.
During a hearing, advocate V Giri, representing the petitioners, informed a bench comprised of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran that the dam has surpassed its intended design life. He emphasized that it threatens the safety and property of nearly one crore individuals residing downstream of the structure.
The petitioners are seeking three primary forms of relief: first, a court-supervised expert inspection of the dam; second, a temporary reduction of the water level to ensure safety; and third, directives for a comprehensive safety reassessment of the dam. In response to these requests, Chief Justice Gavai acknowledged the dam’s age and suggested that measures could be implemented to enhance its safety.
The Mullaperiyar dam has long been a contentious issue between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In January, a different bench led by Justice Surya Kant had previously sought the Centre’s opinion on establishing a Dam Safety Authority while examining another case concerning the same dam.
In 2022, Kerala announced intentions to build a new reservoir to replace the aging dam, citing structural deficiencies as the primary concern. However, Tamil Nadu has resisted this move, asserting that the dam is crucial for providing irrigation and drinking water to several districts within the state. Additionally, Kerala has proposed a reduction of the water level in the dam to 138 feet, while Tamil Nadu advocates for an increase to 152 feet, arguing that the dam can sustain the additional pressure. The Supreme Court had previously set the water level at 142 feet in a ruling from 2014.
