Jul 3 @, 2:48 PM
The Supreme Court today sought response from the Kerala government on Tamil Nadu’s plea that security of Mullaperiyar dam be handed over to Central Industrial Security Force, CISF. A bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu issued notice on the plea which also sought that the Kerala government be not allowed to seek environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for constructing a new dam.
Tamil Nadu, has sought direction from the court that Kerala be restrained from conducting the environment impact assessment for its new proposed dam at the site. The Tamil Nadu government had on February 20 moved the apex court seeking deployment of CISF for protection of Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala. The security of the dam is presently with the Kerala government. The Kerala government had also moved an application seeking clarification of the May 5, 2014 judgement by which the apex court had allowed the raising of water storage level of the dam to 142 feet.
However, the application was withdrawn by the state later saying it would go before three-member Mullaperiyar committee. The Supreme Court on December 3 had dismissed the Kerala government’s plea to review its May 7, 2014 verdict holding as safe the 120-year-old Mullaperiyar dam and allowing Tamil Nadu to raise water level to 142 feet and ultimately to 152 feet after completion of strengthening measures on the dam. Mullaperiyar dam is a masonry dam and was constructed pursuant to the Periyar Lake Lease Agreement of October 29, 1886 across Periyar river. The dam is situated in Thekkady district in Kerala and is owned and operated by the Tamil Nadu government.