NEW DELHI: To enable the Tamil Nadu government to carry out strengthening work of the Mullaiperiyar Baby Dam, the state has approached the Supreme Court to direct Kerala government to restore the permission to cut 15 trees. On November 5, 2021 Kerala government had granted permission which was subsequently withdrawn after six days on November 11, 2021.
The state has argued that although the Top Court on April 8, 2022 had vested with the reconstituted Supervisory committee the power to direct the states for completing pending works in a time bound manner, but since then there has been no progress.
On April 8, SC had directed that the committee -which was constituted by the Supreme Court in 2014 to monitor the safety arrangements of the 126-year old dam- should continue its operations till the National Dam Safety Authority under the Dam Safety Act 2021 comes into effect.
It had also expanded the Committtee by adding one technical member each from Kerala and TN and had vested the reconstituted Supervisory TN has also sought for directing Kerala to give permission to convey materials and machinery to the site, erect platforms to install Seismic instruments, carry out maintenance, etc.