The Supreme Court Thursday called for an urgent meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) and the Disaster Management sub-committee of the Mullaperiyar Dam. (File)
The Supreme Court Thursday called for an urgent meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) and the Disaster Management sub-committee of the Mullaperiyar Dam, formed under Section 9 of The Disaster Management Act, 2005, to explore the possibility of bringing down the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam “at least to 139 feet”.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Indu Malhotra directed that representatives of the NCMC, Sub-Committee, Kerala and Tamil Nadu meet “sometime tomorrow (August 17) in the morning” atleast by video conferencing and an effort be made to explore the possibility of “bringing down the water level, at least to 139 ft so that people staying downstream the dam do not remain in constant fear”.
Hearing a petition by Kerala resident Russel Joy, the court also directed the two states to coordinate with the NCMC so that the people who have been displaced are given adequate relief immediately.
It said that the Sub-Committee may suggest safeguards to be taken by people before water is released from the dam to downstream areas. The bench also directed the meeting “to come out with a disaster management plan which shall be made public so that the people can remain prepared”.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that there appeared to be lack of cooperation between the states and the Centre should coordinate. He said water was released midnight from the Mullaperiyar dam without any warning. Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha said a meeting of the NCMC chaired by the Cabinet Secretary was held Thursday to step up flood relief efforts and it had constituted a committee chaired by the Chairman of Central Water Commission and Engineers-in-Chief of the two states “for proper reservoir management in Mullaperiyar dam”.
The counsel for Kerala informed the court that chief ministers of the two states had discussed the matter and regulation of the dam had started with coordination. The CJI pointed out that the 142 ft height fixed for water column in the dam was for normal situations. There should be “situation adjustment” during natural calamities and the height should be reduced to 139 or 136, he said.
Tamil Nadu’s counsel said the difficulty being faced by the state was the huge inflow. There was a 142 ft capacity and 20,000 cusecs inflow every day, he submitted. The court will hear the matter at 2 pm Friday. Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of all shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir and Idamalayar, have severely affected the lives of people in downstream areas.