Mullaperiyar conundrum: Kerala files affidavit before SC, suggests building a new dam
CHENNAI: With differences cropping up again between the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam storage level, Kerala has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking a reconsideration of the Rule Curve that currently allows storage of up to 142 ft of water.
On October 28, Kerala had sought time before the apex court to file an affidavit raising its disputes regarding the rule curve criteria adopted by Tamil Nadu. The rule curve refers to the level maintainable in the reservoir on different days, reports said.
The Supervisory Committee constituted by the Supreme Court on October 27 had informed the court that there was no requirement to change the water level which was then at 137 ft.
Kerala government on Tuesday insisted on reconsidering the upper rule level of 142 feet as formulated by Tamil Nadu. The Kerala government maintained that the 126 years old dam cannot be strengthened by repeated reinforcements. Kerala suggested that the only solution for protecting the safety of the lakhs of people living downstream of the dam is to build a new dam in the downstream reaches of the existing dam.
According to the Live Law, Kerala also informed the court that it has been asking the government of Tamil Nadu to take necessary action to increase the discharge through the spillways and through the tunnel so as to maintain the water level as per the rule level. However, even after increasing the discharge through the spillway, Tamil Nadu's efforts were not translating into maintaining the reservoir level at 138 ft on October 31.
Tamil Nadu government has been insisting Kerala implement the apex court verdict that directed the government to increase the water storage height from 136 ft to 142 ft.
The reservoir commissioned in 1895 is situated on the Periyar river in the Idukki district of Kerala. The dam is however owned and operated by Tamil Nadu. Kerala raised the issue of the safety of the dam in 1979. In 2006, the Supreme Court order allowed raising the water level in the reservoir to 142 ft and ultimately to 152 ft. But Kerala state legislature enacted a law immediately thereafter fixing and limiting Full Reservoir Level (FRL) to 136 ft. But in a suit filed by Tamil Nadu, the SC in 2014 allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level to 142 ft and ultimately to 152 ft after the completion of strengthening measures of the dam. The court also declared as unconstitutional the law passed by Kerala.