Specialised experts, and not politicians, are needed to resolve Mullaperiyar dam issue: SC

Supreme Court emphasizes need for experts, not politicians, to resolve Mullaperiyar dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (May 6, 2025) said experts with specialised knowledge and not politicians are required to find a solution to the prolonged dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the maintenance of the 125-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.

“The Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and our Prime Minister may be very respected persons. But in this particular field, they may not have the in-depth knowledge. That is why we wanted experts… Our interest is the safety and security of the dams,” Justice Dipankar Datta, a member of the three-judge Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, remarked.

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The judge was responding to submissions made by advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, appearing for residents of Kerala living in the vicinity of the dam, to have the Chief Ministers and Prime Minister sit together and find a solution. Mr. Nedumpara said the dispute was not justiciable and was an “administrative issue”.

Senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, appearing for Kerala, said the State wanted a reassessment and rebuilding of old dams like the Mullaperiyar. The State alleged that Tamil Nadu, in the guise of conducting repairs, was actually trying to increase the height of water in the dam, which spelt danger for Kerala.

In 2021, the Kerala government had made a strong pitch in the Supreme Court to decommission the “deteriorated” Mullaperiyar dam operated by Tamil Nadu and build a new one, saying phenomena like climate change, erratic and heavy rainfall and floods have made the spectre of catastrophe real and near.The suggestion for a new dam dates back to 1979.

Tamil Nadu, represented by senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, said the State was in a “desperate situation”. The dam was owned by it, but located in Kerala, which was consistently blocking efforts by Tamil Nadu to repair the dam and approach roads and fell trees for the past 19 years.