SC begins ultimate listening to in Mullaperiyar dam case; Kerala says dam protection is primary worry

Via Categorical Information Provider

NEW DELHI: The Ideal court docket on Wednesday began listening to the Mullaperiyar dam case. The highest court docket is listening to a number of pleas over protection considerations concerning the 126 years outdated Mullaperiyar dam which has been a longstanding dispute between the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Mullaperiyar dam used to be in-built 1895 at the Periyar river in Kerala’s Idukki district. All the way through the process the listening to, Kerala mentioned that dam protection is the primary worry and the protection is determined by the peak of water.

“There may be extra quantity of water which is urgent towards the dam leading to much less house. If the water degree assists in keeping emerging, it must be discharged or launched. Seepage is the most productive indicator of the efficiency of the dam.” The recommend added.

The state of Kerala in a contemporary affidavit filed within the Mullaperiyar dam dispute case has sought a contemporary evaluation of the protection of Mullaperiyar by way of an unbiased panel of mavens.

The state has additionally hunted for the introduction of a complete Dam protection evaluation process in line with the information for Protection Inspection of Dams, January 2018. The court docket will proceed listening to the arguments on Thursday. 

“The phrases of reference of the learn about and main points of the businesses for undertaking the exams must be shared to the birthday party States and licensed by way of the Supervisory Committee. All exams and investigations must be performed to test the hydrological, systematic, and structural protection of the dam. The committee must be sure that this workout is performed with the participation of the officials of Kerala. The check reviews and their findings must be finalised by way of the supervisory committee and likewise shared with the state of Kerala. It must be ensured that the learn about is done inside a certain time frame.” The affidavit additional reads.

In January, the highest court docket had requested the 2 states to method the supervisory committee for issues when it comes to the discharge of water or water control of the dam. The court docket had mentioned that on a regular basis control problems must no longer come to the court docket and must be taken up prior to the committee.

The Kerala govt had previous informed the apex court docket that “no quantity of rejuvenation” can perpetuate the dam and there’s a restrict to the selection of years one can stay dams in provider thru upkeep and strengthening measures. It had mentioned the one everlasting resolution for casting off the “everlasting risk owing to the protection considerations” of the dam and for safeguarding the protection of numerous other people residing downstream of Mullaperiyar dam is to construct a brand new dam within the downstream reaches of the present dam. The Kerala govt had advised the court docket that the proposal to mend the higher rule degree of the Mullaperiyar dam at 142 toes as formulated by way of Tamil Nadu is also have shyed away from.

In its reaction to the affidavit filed by way of Kerala, the state of Tamil Nadu had mentioned that “repeated statement” of Kerala and petitioners from there within the pleas filed once in a while search to decommission of the present dam and development of a brand new dam, which is “wholly impermissible” within the mild of the apex court docket verdict at the protection of the dam. “The dam has been discovered to be hydrologically, structurally, and seismically protected,” Tamil Nadu had mentioned.

(With company inputs)