New Delhi, November 9

The Kerala government has told the Supreme Court that “no amount of rejuvenation” can perpetuate the 126-year-old “deteriorated” Mullaperiyar dam and there is a limit to the number of years one can keep dams in service through maintenance and strengthening measurers.

It said the only permanent solution for removing the “eternal threat owing to the safety concerns” of the dam and for protecting the safety of lakhs of people living in the downstream of Mullaperiyar dam, is to build a new dam in the downstream reaches of the existing dam. Mullaperiyar Dam was built in 1895 on the Periyar River in the Idukki district of Kerala. In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the Kerala Government has urged the apex court that the proposal to fix the upper rule level of Mullaperiyar dam at 142 feet on September 20 as formulated by Tamil Nadu may be avoided.

“Keeping in view the North-East monsoon extends mostly up to the month of December, it is requested that the maximum water level in the reservoir may be fixed at 140 ft on November 30,” it said.

On October 28, the SC had said Tamil Nadu and Kerala would abide by 139.5 ft water level notified by the committee till November 10. — PTI