The State has also sought permission to complete grouting works on the dam
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The Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led TVK government has flagged Kerala’s “obstructionist attitude” in the Supreme Court, which has stalled the implementation of a 12-year-old apex court judgment in the Mullaperiyar dam dispute, allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the reservoir water level to 142 feet.On May 7, 2014, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Tamil Nadu in the long-standing Mullaperiyar dam dispute. A Constitution Bench declared the 131-year-old dam to be structurally safe while allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the reservoir water level from 136 feet to 142 feet. Tamil Nadu stated that a 2006 judgment of the top court had even permitted it to raise the water level ultimately to 152 feet after the completion of strengthening measures on the Mullaperiyar dam.In a report, Tamil Nadu stated that Kerala has not cooperated in the timely completion of measures to strengthen the baby dam, the earth dam, and the grouting of the main dam, which are critical for structural safety.The State report, prepared by advocate B Karunakaran and finalised by senior advocate G Umapathy, urged the court to grant permission to Tamil Nadu to fell trees near the Mullaperiyar dam site to facilitate long-pending safety and strengthening work on the baby dam.The State has also sought permission to complete grouting works on the dam. The structure is masonry work constructed pursuant to the Periyar Lake Lease Agreement of October 29, 1886, across the Periyar River. The construction continued for about eight years and was completed in 1895. Located in the Idukku district of Kerala, the dam is, however, owned and operated by Tamil Nadu. The length of the main dam is 1,200 feet, and the top of the dam is 155 feet.Tamil Nadu accused Kerala of “double standards”, saying that the “senior counsel representing the State of Kerala informed in the Court on July 31, 2025 that the State government has already accorded necessary permission”.“No proposal was received in the Ministry for consideration of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife, which is contrary to the recorded statement of senior counsel for Kerala on July 31, 2025," the report filed in August 2026 said.The State stated that the Kerala government was “attempting to delay the grant of permission for transportation of grouting materials and machinery and yet to grant permission”.In another instance pointed out by Tamil Nadu, the report said Kerala had requested it in November 2025 to deposit the initial cost estimate of ₹87,64,000 for repairing the existing approach road from Vallakkadavu to the dam site. Tamil Nadu had granted administrative sanction for the amount in February this year. The Kerala government was yet to start work.The report stated that action was still awaited regarding the preparation of an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) based on the Terms of Reference (ToR) and hazard classification of the Mullaperiyar Dam, which were shared by the National Dam Safety Authority in May of last year. Furthermore, Kerala has still not provided real-time rainfall and flood data for inflow forecasting in the catchment area of the Mullaperiyar Dam.Published on August 12, 2026
