Plea For A New Dam To Replace Mullaperiyar: SC Notice To Centre, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
The petitioner claimed that over 10 million people live in close vicinity of the British-era Mullaperiyar dam
By Sumit Saxena
Published : October 13, 2025 at 2:07 PM IST
|Updated : October 13, 2025 at 2:35 PM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and also the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), on a plea seeking the construction of a new dam to replace the Mullaperiyar dam following concerns over its safety and structural stability.
The matter came up before a bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and comprising Justice K Vinod Chandran. The petitioner NGO Save Kerala Brigade was represented by senior advocate V Giri and advocate Haris Beeran. The petitioner claimed that over 10 million people live in close vicinity of the British-era dam.
Giri submitted that there is a need for a new dam in the region, as the lives of around 10 million people, who lived downstream, were at risk. The bench orally remarked that some directions could be issued to strengthen the dam. "Some directions may be needed for strengthening the existing dam," the CJI said.
The bench asked, "What exactly is the problem? If another dam is constructed, then probably Tamil Nadu will say the lease will go….". Giri said that the present dam is built with surky and that seismic activities have increased in the region. The bench noted that it is one of the oldest dams. The bench was informed that it is over 120-years-old.
The bench suggested that the matter be examined by an expert body to assess safety aspects and the feasibility of constructing a new structure. After hearing arguments, the bench decided to issue notice on the plea. The plea said, "Mullaperiyar Dam has far exceeded its lifespan envisaged by its engineers and builders…..It is a pertinent fact that the dam is in its 121st year, having exceeded double the lifespan originally intended for it by its builders".
The petitioner said it represents the agony of a population living in constant fear and peril of an imminent deluge from floods coming out of an ageing dam.
The plea said contesting states due to the populist agenda failed to consider that floods and earthquakes are a real threat from the old dam. "Because though Mullaperiyar dam is a masonry dam, its construction is actually as a composite dam. The inner core (62 per cent) of the dam was constructed with hydraulic lime surky mix and its upstream and downstream sides with rubble masonry", it contended.
"Lime surky concrete is a very inferior concrete which constitutes almost 2/3 of the dam's core. This concrete categorised as M5 is much lower strength compared to M30 being used for major dam constructions like Idukki Arch dam downstream Mullaperiyar. M30 concrete has almost 6 times strength than lime surky concrete used in Mullaperiyar dam", it said.
The plea said the seepage in Mullaperiyar dam was approximately 90.39 litre per minute 10 years back. "There is leakage at the surface and gallery. There is a leak at the gallery in between the 17th and 18th block. The legislature sub committee has examined the gallery in between the 10th and 11th block and found that there is leakage", it added.
The plea said earthquakes and seismic activities had not been figured in when Mullaperiyar dam was constructed a century back, and added that it is pertinent to state that situations have since changed and the area has several geological fault lines, 20 earthquakes had occurred from July 26, 2011, in the said area.
"Failure of Mullaperiyar dam would unleash unimaginable force stronger than an earthquake, and the force would be transferred to the dams of Idukki Project-Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kulamavu. Kulamavu dam was the weakest of these dams", said the plea. "Issue a writ of mandamus, or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction, directing the respondents to decommission the Mullaperiyar Dam in view of the safety of human lives, and to find a viable solution to ensure the continued supply of water to the State of Tamil Nadu", said the plea. The PIL has named the Centre, the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments and the National Disaster Management Authority as respondents.
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