21-Mar-2022: Safety Of the Mullaperiyar Dam

All large dams of the country, including Mullaperiyar dam,  under the category of ‘specified dams’ come under the ambit of the Dam Safety Act, 2021. Details can be accessed through the link http://cwc.gov.in/sites/default/files/nrld06042019.pdf

The Dam Safety Act, 2021 also contains provisions for safety aspects of dams, other than 'specified dams'.

There is a report titled “Ageing Water Storage Infrastructure: An Emerging Global Risk” published in the 11th Series Report of United Nations University-Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). This report has mentioned about certain safety concerns of the Mullaperiyar dam.

However, as far as Mullaperiyar dam is concerned, Hon'ble Supreme Court, vide judgment dated 07.05.2014 constituted a three member Supervisory Committee. This Committee has been regularly monitoring the dam from safety perspective. Moreover, the recently enacted Dam Safety Act 2021 has enabling provisions for comprehensive dam safety evaluation of all the 'specified dams', including Mulla Periyar Dam.

2-Dec-2021: UN report on Mullaperiyar Dam

There is a report titled “Ageing Water Storage Infrastructure: An Emerging Global Risk” published in the 11th Series Report of United Nations University-Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). The said report has mentioned about certain safety concerns of the  Mullaperiyar dam.

Through inspections, investigations, tests and studies, the health of a dam can be evaluated. Various instruments, which are installed in the dam provide relevant information on the safety conditions of a dam. Pre and Post monsoon inspections are generally carried out by the dam owning agencies every year. 

As per information available with Central Water Commission (CWC), in 1979 some distress condition was reported in the Mullaperiyar dam. Thereafter the CWC suggested certain categories of strengthening measures viz. emergency measures, short term measures and long term measures. The emergency and short term measures were completed by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Safety issues of the Mullaperiyar dam have been examined and reviewed by various expert groups/committees in the past.  The safety issues of this dam were examined under the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the case Original Suit No. 3 of 2006 [State of Tamil Nadu versus State of Kerala & Anr.], through an Empowered Committee. The Empowered Committee concluded that the Mullaperiyar dam was safe in all respects, viz., hydrologically, structurally and seismically and this fact was taken cognizance of in the Hon'ble Supreme Court's judgement dated  07.05.2014.

Also under the World Bank funded Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), which was concluded in March 2021, dam safety inspections were carried out for 28 dam projects of Kerala by the Dam Safety Review Panel, constituted by the Government of Kerala.

Commissioning or de-commissioning of dams owned by State Governments is exclusively within the purview of the dam owning State.