Mullaperiyar dam: Supreme Court asks crisis management panel to explore ways to reduce water level
The top court also directed the Kerala government to take steps to ensure safety of people when water is released from the dam.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the National Committee for Crisis Management and the disaster management sub-committee to explore the possibility of reducing the water level at Mullaperiyar dam to 139 feet.
The top court also directed the Kerala government to take appropriate steps to ensure safety of people when water is released from the dam, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that the sub-committee has decided to bring down the water level in the dam by two to three feet in a phased manner, according to Bar & Bench.
The water level at the dam reached 142 feet, the reservoir’s maximum capacity, on Wednesday. It stayed at that level on Thursday morning as well. The court was hearing a petition urging it to issue directions on water management at the dam. Though the dam is located in Kerala, it is operated by Tamil Nadu.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre and the state governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu to avoid addressing the flood situation in an adversarial manner.
#KeralaFloods: Supreme Court directs sub-committee under Disaster Management Act 2005, Court appointed committee and National Committee for Crisis Management to explore possibility of reducing water level in Mullaperiyar dam reservoir to 139 feet.
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) August 17, 2018