New Delhi | The Supreme Court on Monday said some directions may be needed to ensure the strengthening of the 130-year-old Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala following concerns over its safety and structural stability.
The top court also issued notices to the Centre, the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments as well as the NDMA on a PIL filed by the NGO Save Kerala Brigade seeking decommissioning of the old dam and construction of a new dam to replace the existing one.
“Some directions may be needed for strengthening the existing dam,” a bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said and suggested that the matter be examined by an expert body to assess safety aspects and feasibility of constructing a new structure.
The Mullaperiyar dam, built in 1895 across the Periyar river in Kerala's Idukki district, is operated by Tamil Nadu under a lease agreement.
It has long been a point of contention with Kerala citing safety concerns due to its age and seismic vulnerability and Tamil Nadu emphasising its importance for irrigation and drinking water supply to several southern districts.
“This is one of the oldest dams,” the CJI said when senior advocate V Giri, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the aging dam poses a serious threat to the lives and property of nearly 10 million people living downstream in Kerala and urged that the Court direct the construction of a new dam to ensure public safety.
He said the present dam has to be decommissioned and “simultaneously another dam constructed... only my lords can interfere, there is no other way in which it can be done. Nobody will be prejudiced.” The plea seeks an evaluation of the dam by experts and the court's directions for decommissioning its operation and its reconstruction.
Due to severe climate changes, excessive floods and its placement in a high-intensity seismic zone, the operation of the dam can cause a threat to life and the environment around it, it said.
The plea asks for a court-supervised, multidisciplinary expert inspection of Mullaperiyar Dam involving national and international experts.
It also seeks reduction of the reservoir level as an interim measure of safety. Besides, it has asked for directions to prepare a detailed dam safety reassessment and decommissioning or reconstruction plan if required.
The PIL has named the Centre, the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments and the National Disaster Management Authority as respondents.
