Kerala floods: Supreme Court orders Tamil Nadu to maintain water level in Mullaperiyar dam

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Tamil Nadu govt that the water level in Kerala’s Mullaperiyar reservoir should be maintained at 139.99 feet till August 31. The reservoir’s maximum capacity is 142 feet.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the Centre's submission that the sub-committee of the Mullaperiyar dam had met on August 23 and directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that the water level is maintained at 139 feet, which is two feet below the permissible limit fixed by the apex court.

The top court also said it will not deal with the dispute over the dam between Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments, instead, it will deal only with the disaster management committee.

The court directed Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments to respond to the Kerala affidavit and posted the next hearing on September 6.

The Kerala government had yesterday told the apex court that the sudden release of water from the Mullaperiyar Dam by the Tamil Nadu government was one of the reasons for the devastating deluge in the state. 

It had said that out of a total population of about 3.48 crore, more than 54 lakh or one-sixth of the population of Kerala, had been directly affected by the floods. 

The Mullaperiyar Dam is located on the Western Ghats near Thekkady in Idukki district of Kerala on the Periyar river. 

Kerala resident Russel Roy had filed a plea seeking, among other things, a direction to Tamil Nadu to manage the water level in the dam as the floods in Kerala have created a havoc. 

The top court had earlier ordered the disaster management panel of the Mullaperiyar Dam to urgently decide on lowering the water level.

(With inputs from PTI)