SC directs Tamil Nadu to reduce water level at Mullaperiyar dam by 3 ft
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Disaster Management sub-committee of Mullaperiyar Dam to consider reducing water level up to 139 feet from the present 142 feet, considering the "grave" flood situation in all the 14 districts of Kerala.
The top court also asked the sub-committee to hold an urgent meeting on Friday morning with the Centre's National Crisis Management Committee (NCMS) and the Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala through a video-conference if physical presence of officials cannot be ensured.
However, Tamil Nadu government opposed the plea with regard to bringing down the water level in the dam, saying that the inflow of water presently is over 12,000 cusec in contrast to the outflow of 5,000 cusec.
The bench said this was not the time to go into the past and efforts to be made to deal with the present crisis and posted the matter for further hearing at 2 pm on Friday.
At least 75 people have died since August 8 after incessant rains lashed Kerala and triggered massive floods and landslides.
Rain red alert has been issued in the entire state after the rivers in Kerala breached the danger mark.
The Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are working on war footing to rescue people affected due to floods.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning and apprised him of the flood situation in the state.
The state has also sought the services of additional Army personnel and helicopters and the prime minister has assured all help, Vijayan said.
After the CM's request, 12 more teams of NDRF - 6 from Delhi and 6 from Gandhinagar - have been airlifted to Thiruvananthapuram. 18 teams have already been deployed in the state.
