NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court accusing Kerala of “crying foul” about the safety of the old Mullaperiyar dam and sought a number of directions to the Kerala government.
The apex court-led bench of Justice A S Oka is scheduled to hear the case on May 7 (Tuesday).
In a plea, the TN government argued that while the Kerala government has been raising the issues of comprehensive dam safety review, it has also been obstructing to granting permissions and approvals for taking materials from Tamil Nadu to ensure the completion of the remaining works.
The TN government also sought a direction that the reconstituted Supervisory Committee issue appropriate directions as mandated in the Dam Safety Act, 2021 for completing the pending works.
It also sought that a direction be made to the State of Kerala and its instrumentalities to give necessary permission to Tamil Nadu to convey materials and machinery to the Dam site through the Vallakadavu-Mullai
Periyar dam site - Ghat road for the work, without further delay: -
a. Balance strengthening works to Baby Dam & Earth Dam as directed by this Court in its judgment of February 2006 & 2014.
It also sought a direction to the Kerala state for grouting the Main Dam as directed in the 2014 Judgment.
The TN govt also sought that a direction be made to the State of Kerala to restore the permission to cut 15 trees to carry out strengthening of the Baby Dam, which was granted in 2021 and arbitrarily, withdrawn subsequently.