In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, Kerala alleged that the decision taken by Tamil Nadu led to overflow of reservoir in Idukki, forcing Kerala to release water, flooding the entire district.
Kerala on Thursday told the Supreme Court that excess release of water by Tamil Nadu from Mullaperiyar dam was the reason why the State faced massive flood.
In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, Kerala alleged that the decision taken by Tamil Nadu led to overflow of reservoir in Idukki, forcing Kerala to release water, flooding the entire district. Kerala said this in response to a petition that wanted a reduction of water level at the Mullaperiyar dam.
Mullaperiyar dam is the bone of contention between Kerala and Tamil Nadu for 130 years now. This dam is a confluence of two rivers Mullayar and Periyar, and is situated in Kerala. But according to a treaty signed between then Maharaja of Travancore and the British in 1886, Tamil Nadu is given the authority to administer the dam.
Kerala is of the opinion that the dam should be decommissioned as it has developed cracks and might be dangerous to Kerala. But Tamil Nadu has argued that Mullaperiyar dam is safe.
Thus, Kerala had earlier requested Tamil Nadu to release water in small quantity. But Tamil Nadu took the advise of the supreme court that water can be raised up to 142 feet, as against 136 feet requested by Kerala.
Thus, Kerala has accused Tamil Nadu of flooding Idukki by releasing the water all of a sudden. But Tamil Nadu has maintained that it had released the water on August 16, after the floods in Idukki.
Kerala has also filed in its affidavit that 1,564 villages, and 13 out of 14 districts have been flooded. The massive flood has directly affected 54 lakh people and 13 lakh people have lost their homes.
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