| (The Editor's Pick is a new newsletter from The Hindu that provides a snapshot of the most important stories from today's edition of our newspaper, along with a note from our top editors on why we chose to give prominence to these stories.) Tamil Nadu on Friday clarified in Supreme Court the role of a panel that undertakes inspections at the Mullaperiyar dam, the safety of which is a bone of contention between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The panel in question is a sub-committee to the supervisory committee appointed by the Supreme Court to manage the Mullaperiyar dam reservoir levels and address safety issues. Tamil Nadu stated that the sub-committee assists the supervisory committee by collecting data from the dam site, and does not take over the duties of the main committee itself. This clarification came after a local body in Kerala alleged that the supervisory committee was abdicating its duties. Notably, Tamil Nadu also said that any water release will be done only with proper warning. During the 2018 floods, Kerala had alleged that a sudden release of water by TN exacerbated the deluge. The sub-committee was constituted by the supervisory committee at its second meeting to do more active pre- and post-monsoon inspections, and comprises of Central, TN and Kerala representatives. The Supreme Court had appointed the supervisory panel in its 2014 verdict that also set the upper water level for the dam's reservoir at 142 feet. Since the late 1970s Kerala has been raising concerns about the safety of the over-100-year-old dam which is located in the State but is managed by Tamil Nadu. The dam is a crucial factor in managing the water supply to five of the southern districts in Tamil Nadu. While the 2014 verdict had set the terms for managing the water levels at the dam, the 2018 floods raked up the issue again. Changing weather patterns has made people living downstream repeatedly approach the highest court over their safety concerns, keeping the issue simmering. | 
Post a Comment