Safety concerns surrounding Mullaperiyar Dam resemble cartoon character who lives in fear of sky falling on his head: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has remarked that the safety concerns surrounding the Mullaperiyar Dam resemble a cartoon character who lives in fear of the sky falling on his head. The apex court compared the situation to the character Vitalstatistix from the French cartoon series 'Asterix and Obelix'.

The concern over the dam's safety is merely an apprehension, the court observed. The bench, comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti, made the observation while considering a group of public interest litigations (PILs) raising safety concerns.

The court said that the Mullaperiyar Dam has withstood 135 years of monsoons and has outlived its originally estimated lifespan by more than double. The court stated that the matter would be referred to a three-judge bench, which is likely to consider it on February 19. Some of the petitions highlighting safety concerns are already before another bench, and it is expected that all matters will be transferred to the three-judge bench.

'I too lived in Kerala with apprehensions'
"The creators of the Mullaperiyar Dam deserve applause. However, people are living in fear of its collapse. I, too, lived in Kerala for about a year and a half with this apprehension," Justice Hrishikesh Roy noted. Justice Roy previously served as Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court.

Stance of three-judge bench will be crucial

• A group of petitions requesting the construction of a new dam and the reduction of the water level to 120 feet are pending before a three-judge bench headed by Justice Surya Kant. This bench has observed the need for a safety inspection.
• Another petition from Tamil Nadu is also before a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, seeking to maintain the water level at 142 feet. The bench is considering whether to assign oversight to the old committee formed under the 2014 Supreme Court judgment or the new committee formed under the 2021 Dam Safety Act, chaired by the chairman of the National Dam Safety Authority.
• It is likely that all these petitions will now come before one bench. Kerala continues to advocate for the construction of a new dam. The state has already requested the Supreme Court to include international experts experienced in dam decommissioning for conducting a safety inspection.

The Mullaperiyar Dam is one of the six oldest dams in the world. While four of these are undergoing decommissioning, the debate over Mullaperiyar's safety persists.