Kerala Floods: SC directs efforts to bring down water level in Mullaperiyar reservoir to 139 feet

In the wake of the Kerala floods, the Supreme Court today ordered the sub-committee constituted under Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act 2005, along with National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), to hold a meeting with authorities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The authorities have been directed to submit a National Disaster Management Plan with respect to the Mullaperiyar Dam.

Importantly, the Court also directed the sub-committee and the state authorities to make efforts to bring down the water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir to 139 feet.

The order was passed in a petition by Kerala Resident Russel Roy seeking, amongst other things, a direction to Tamil Nadu to manage the water level in the reservoir after the floods in Kerala wreaked havoc in the State.

The State of Kerala today told the Court that the situation can be managed if the water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir is brought down to 139 feet.

The State of Tamil Nadu submitted that the current water level is 142 feet, and it will be difficult to bring it down, since inflow is greater than outflow due to incessant rains.

The Court, however, proceeded to direct the sub-committee constituted under Section 9 of the Disaster Management Act to meet authorities from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, along with the NCMC.

The sub-committee has to frame a Disaster Management Plan and submit the same to the Court tomorrow. The people should also be made aware of the plan, the Court directed.

Further, the sub-committee has been tasked with suggesting measures to tackle a disaster in the event of release of water.

The matter is listed for hearing at 2 pm tomorrow.

Read the order below.