News Analysis India

Tag: Mullaperiyar dam

  • Mullaperiyar Dam case: Centre suggests supervisory committee continue as NDSA will take one year to function properly

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Central government on Tuesday said that the National Dam Safety Authority will take one full year to function properly.

    Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appearing for the Central Water Commission suggested that the current supervisory committee should continue to function for the time being.

    The top court while agreeing to it said that a temporary working structure can be established.

    Justice AM Khanwilkar said that the supervisory committee can be strengthened by giving the powers under the Dam Safety Act, 2021. The top court is hearing several pleas over safety concerns about the 126 years old dam which has been a longstanding dispute between the two states.

    “Since you are suggesting supervisory committee will continue to function the authority under the Act. It will be the working arrangement and until such time we can do this. We will say that the supervisory committee will follow all functions. This is a very delicate situation. This is the way forward. The central government can be asked that all facilities will be given to this committee,” he added.

    The court said that they will be given directions to this effect soon. The matter would now be heard on April 7.

    Last week, The Central government was asked to file a note explaining the establishment and scope of authority of the National Dam Safety Authority under the Dam Safety Act, 2021.

    The top court had asked about this when it was informed by the counsel representing the Central Water Commission about the Dam Safety Act, 2021 suggesting its helpfulness in solving the longstanding dispute between the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam.

    It was told that the Act provides for surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of the specified dam for prevention of dam failure related disasters and to provide for an institutional mechanism to ensure their safe functioning and for matters connected to it.

    The Mullaperiyar dam was built in 1895 on the Periyar river in Kerala’s Idukki district. “Dam Safety Act 2021 under this scheme the authority has been notified. This might solve the issue.This mandate will take care of larger issues. The National Dam Safety Authority would be responsible for this dam. This act came into force on 30 December 2021.”  Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati had said last week.

    On March 24, the top court had suggested to the two states that issues regarding structural safety of the 126-year-old Dam can be left to be dealt with by the supervisory committee which can be strengthened.

    The top court had observed that the issue raised by Kerala, which has said that the process for setting up a new dam in the downstream reaches of the existing dam should start, can be debated, discussed and resolved by the supervisory committee which can make its recommendation on this.

  • TN opposes CWC’s suggestion to review Mullaperiyar dam safety

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the State of Kerala has been repeatedly thwarting the efforts by them to carry out the strengthening work of the Mullaperiyar dam.The Tamil Nadu government told the court that the dam is safe and there is no pressing need to have a fresh review of the dam’s safety as was suggested by Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Supervisory Committee of the dam through an affidavit filed before the Court on January 27.

    “There is neither deformation nor abnormality in the Dam. Further, silting of the Dam is very minimum. In this water year 2021-22, water was stored in the Dam at a level of +142 ft. from November 30, 2021 for about 18 days, and all the parameters of the Dam were found to be within limits,” the response filed by Tamil Nadu said.

    The Tami Nadu government, therefore, said that that CWC / Supervisory Committee or by its instrumentalities should be directed to carry out review on the safety of the Dam only after completing the balance strengthening works and maintenance works as had been directed by the Supreme Court in 2006 and later in 2014.

    Tamil Nadu government has, thus, prayed that Kerala be directed to cooperate, and provide all necessary assistance in a time-bound manner so that the remaining strengthening and maintenance works are implemented in letter and spirit during the next four months commencing March 2022 before the monsoon season starts.

    The Mullaperiyar Dam, situated in Kerala’s Periyar River and which supplies water to five districts of Tamil Nadu, has been a contentious issue between the two states. While Kerala has been maintaining for the past few decades that the Dam is unsafe, TN has all along vouched for its safety.