Kerala: Explore possibility of bringing down water level at Mullaperiyar from 141 to 139 ft says SC

New Delhi, Aug 17: The Supreme Court has directed the national crisis management committee and sub-committee constituted by Union Cabinet secretary for Kerala flood crisis to coordinate with the committee on Mullaperiyar dam to explore possibility of bringing down water level from 141 ft at present to 139 feet.

The court said that it is not an expert to deal with the unprecedented crisis faced by Kerala, but added that the national crisis management committee's directions on rescue, relief and rehabilitation will be binding on Kerala.

The court said that both Kerala and Tamil Nadu will cooperate with the committee to give displaced people adequate security immediately. The court observed that people should not live in constant fear.

The court said that the sub committee of the Disaster Management committee may suggest, what measures can be taken to handle the disaster so that people do not suffer the catastrophe of the flood.

During the hearing, Tamil Nadu said that the inflow into the dam is 20,000 cusecs. Due to rains, it may not be possible to reduce the water level immediately. There is limited capacity to release water, TN also said.

Kerala submitted that the water level at the dam should be reduced to 139 feet. The Centre said that the National Crisis Management Committee met today and assured continued assistance to Kerala.

The court said that the decisions of the sub-committee regarding water level of the dam shall be implemented by TN and Kerala immediately. The sub-committee shall file its report by 2 pm tomorrow.

A petition had been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a directive to the Centre to arrange meetings with Tamil Nadu in the wake of the floods.

The petitioner sought for a meeting between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the Mullaperiyar dam in the backdrop of the floods.

The petitioner also sought for a Disaster Management Plan to be activated.

Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday sent an SOS to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart in Tamil Nadu E Palaniswami on the rising water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam.

He asked Tamil Nadu chief minister to release water from Mullaperiyar Dam that was close to breaching the 142-feet mark, the maximum level that Kerala believes, the dam structure can safely hold.

He also made phone calls to PM Modi and the Union Home Minister, urging them to nudge Tamil Nadu to release some water from the dam to bring down the water level to 139 feet.