The Supreme Court has allowed Tamil Nadu's plea to carry out some repairs and maintenance works for controversial Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala's Idduki
district. A five-judge Constitution bench also permitted the Kerala government to have copies of the technical report, which was relied upon by the apex court's empowered committee to conclude that the dam was structurally and hydrologically safe. After passing the direction, the apex court posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks. The empowered committee was set up by the court in February 2010 to look into all aspects of dam.
There has been tension between the two states over the safety of the dam. While Tamil Nadu contends that the dam is safe and its water level has to be raised from 132 ft to 136 ft, Kerala says the structure is weak and it has to be replaced with a new one.