Anand panel to judge strength of Periyar dam

NEW DELHI: Former chief justice of India Justice A S Anand will head a five-member committee to examine the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam. A five-judge Constitution bench comprising Justice D K Jain, Justice B Sudershan Reddy, Justice M K Sharma, Justice R M Lodha and Justice Deepak Verma asked the empowered committee to submit its report within six months.

The Constitution bench also directed the Centre to issue an appropriate notification within four weeks to appoint the four other members of the committee. It also authorised states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to nominate a member each, a retired high court judge or a technical expert. The bench asked the Centre to nominate two renowned technical experts not connected with the dispute.

Both Tamil Nadu and Kerala are locked in a bitter tussle over more than the century-old Mullaperiyar dam located in Idduki district of Kerala. Though located in Kerala, the dam caters to irrigation and drinking water needs of Tamil Nadu.

Kerala, citing safety of the dam, wants to demolish the existing structure and construct a new one at an alternative location, to which Tamil Nadu is opposed to. In 2006, the Supreme Court had upheld TN’s right to maintain water level at the dam at 142 feet.