Chennai: Tamil Nadu has moved the Supreme Court alleging that Kerala was violating the terms of agreement over the Mullaiperiyar Dam located at the border of the two states. Kerala has begun building a multi-level car parking in the Dam's catchment area, in violation of the Supreme Court orders, said TN in its complaint petition filed last week.
The TN petition argued that the construction of the multi-level parking was aimed at "preventing the restoration of the storage level of the reservoir to the original level of 152 ft". It prayed for SC orders restraining Kerala from further construction, reports said.
They said Kerala had received the Supreme Court clearance last year to construct a canteen and an information centre at the tourist spot of Anavachal - which marks the entry into the Eravikulam National Park-- but no permission was given for the ambitious car parking lot. It is TN's case that the parking lot would be submerged once the water levels are restored to 142 ft. Besides, the Periyar Tiger Reserve has contended that heavy vehicular traffic disturbed the wildlife in the area.
At the peak of the long-drawn politico-legal battle between the two southern neighbours over the dam, Kerala had last year alleged that Tamil Nadu suddenly released water from the dam that caused the terrible floods. Tamil Nadu not only denied the charge but also pointed out that the dam storage level was well below the permitted levels when the floods happened.
The Mullaiperiyar dam, located on the Periyar River in the Idukki district of Kerala, has been at the centre of the water wars of Tamil Nadu with her neighbours for the last four decades. Tamil Nadu has been demanding restoration of the water levels to 152 ft but the Apex Court permitted the restoration of water up to 142 ft.
