The Supreme Court today quashed the law passed by Kerala Assembly on the Mullaperiyar dam and ruled that the water level of the dam can be raised to 142 feet.

The apex court appointed a three-member Committee to supervise its safety aspects. The verdict comes in a suit filed by Tamil Nadu questioning the law enacted by Kerala in 2006 to restrict the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam at 136 feet though the Supreme Court had permitted Tamil Nadu to raise the water level up to 142 feet.

The much-awaited verdict in the case comes eight months after the hearing was completed by a five member Constitutional Bench.

While Tamil Nadu had been demanding an increase in the water level to support its agricultural needs, Kerala had opposed the same pointing out concerns about the safety of the more-than-a-century-old lime-surkhi structure and demanded building a new dam at Mullaperiyar.

The Bench in 2010 had appointed an empowered committee headed by former Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand to go into the safety aspects and the report was submitted in April 2012.

The panel had said, the dam is structurally and hydrologically safe, and Tamil Nadu can raise the water level from 136 to 142 feet after carrying out certain repairs.

The Tamil Nadu Congress Chief B.S.Gnanadesikan has said that the judgement on Mullaperiyar should be taken in the right perspective by both states as the judgement gives recognition to the agriculture and drinking needs of the people.

He also appealed to both the state governments to mutually agree on the setting up of the Supervising Comiittee in maintaining the Dam. The DMK President M.Karunanidhi has welcomed the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Mullaperiyar dam issue.

PMK leader Ramdoss and other political party leaders have also expressed happiness at the Supreme Court's judgement on the issue and hoped that the water level would be raised for the benefit of the people of the five districts who need water for agriculture and drinking water purposes.

On the other hand, the Kerala government today said, it would explore further legal options after studying the Supreme Court order. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters that the state's concern had always been the safety of the people and it was in view of this, it took legal and legislative measures.

Chandy added that Kerala was never opposed to giving water to Tamil Nadu. State Water Resources Minister P J Joseph said, the government would explore the possibility of filing a review petition. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said, the order did not take into consideration the safety of the people of the area.

Meanwhile, the agitators at Chappath in the dam site area in Idukki district, came out in protest against the development and said, they would carry on with the agitation for a new dam in place of the existing structure.