New Delhi: A Constitution Bench of the
Supreme Court today decided to constitute a high-level
empowered committee to examine the safety aspects of the
Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala.
The five-judge Bench comprising Justices D K Jain, B
Sudarshan Reddy, Mukundkam Sharma, R M Lodha and Deepak Verma
said the five-member committee would be headed by a retired
Supreme Court judge.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been authorised by the court
to nominate one member each who could be a retired high court
judge or a technical expert.
The Centre has also been authorised to nominate two
renowned technical experts not connected with the dispute.
The apex court said it will pass appropriate orders
tomorrow for formally constituting the committee which in turn
would, within a time frame, submit its report to the Bench.
Both Tamil Nadu and Kerala are locked in a bitter tussle
over more than the century old Mullaperiyar dam located in
Idduki district.
Though located in Kerala, the dam caters to the
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.
PTI
