Kerala to move Supreme Court for Mullaperiyar dam safety inspection

Kerala will petition the Supreme Court to implement its 2024 judgment permitting a detailed Mullaperiyar dam safety inspection. The move intensifies efforts to resolve the long-running dispute with Tamil Nadu.Thiruvananthapuram,Nov 2, 2026 18:14 ISTThe Kerala government will approach the Supreme Court to seek the implementation of its 2024 judgment allowing a detailed safety inspection of the Mullaperiyar dam, Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph said on Monday, according to news agency Press Trust of India.The state will file a special petition in the Supreme Court and has appointed senior advocate Mohan V Kattarki as its lead counsel. It will also seek the Centre's active intervention to resolve the long-standing dispute with Tamil Nadu over the dam.Joseph said the Kerala government had already informed the Supreme Court that it had complied with the conditions laid down by the court on the Baby Dam issue, PTI reported.The minister also announced plans to overhaul the Water Resources Department and the Kerala Water Authority to improve drinking water supply, irrigation facilities and water resource management across the state. The government will formulate a comprehensive water policy by bringing various wings of the Water Resources Department under a common framework. The policy is expected to be announced in early 2027."The aim is to make the Water Resources Department and the Water Authority more people-friendly and efficient," Joseph said. As part of the initiative, the Kerala Water Conclave will be held in Thiruvananthapuram in the first week of December. Experts, including international disaster management specialist Muralee Thummarukudy, are expected to take part in the discussions.One of the government's immediate priorities is to reduce drinking water loss in the state capital. Nearly half the water pumped from Aruvikkara is lost before it reaches consumers, the minister said.A pilot project using new technology will be launched to identify the causes of the loss and repair leakages. If successful, the technology will be introduced in other parts of the state.The government is also considering setting up plants along the coast to convert seawater into drinking water.Foreign technologies will be studied to manage the extensive growth of water hyacinth in Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad and convert it into useful products. An expert committee has been formed to examine the proposals and recommend suitable measures.Joseph said the government also planned to develop dam sites and canal networks as tourism destinations by improving facilities and making better use of land owned by the Irrigation Department and the Water Authority."Dam and canal renovation will be taken up as a separate project," the minister said.The plan includes repairing canals, improving their surroundings and developing suitable stretches for irrigation tourism. Water tank premises, dam sites and other department-owned properties will also be renovated and maintained for public use.The closed Malampuzha garden will be renovated and reopened at the earliest. The government will also complete the mapping of departmental land within six months to identify encroachments and prevent the loss of government properties. Action will be taken against encroachments, Joseph said.As part of dam safety measures, a comprehensive assessment of 22 dams under the Irrigation Department and the Water Authority will be completed by December 31.The government is also taking steps to speed up Jal Jeevan Mission projects. It will hold discussions with the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to secure nearly Rs 8,000 crore due from the Centre, PTI reported.A substantial part of the pending payments to contractors has already been cleared using a Rs 7,000-crore loan from NABARD.The government will implement a Rs 4,000-crore coastal protection project with assistance from the Asian Development Bank. Apart from ongoing projects at Chellanam and Pozhiyoor, 10 major coastal hotspots have been identified for protection. The restoration of Shanghumugham Beach in Thiruvananthapuram is also under consideration.The measures announced by the government cover the Mullaperiyar dam case, dam safety, drinking water supply, irrigation, coastal protection, tourism development and the management of public land and water resources across Kerala.- Ends