Even as the summer months threaten water shortage, the decades-old tension between the States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam has spilled over to the Supreme Court with Tamil Nadu accusing its neighbour of obstructing it from carrying out repairs and maintenance of the dam.
In an application, the Tamil Nadu government said Kerala has defied the Supreme Court’s judgments in “letter and spirit”.
Without mincing words, it accused the Kerala government of harassment by denying Tamil Nadu officials free entry to carry out routine periodical maintenance and repairs of the dam.
Highlighting that it has the “right of exclusive possession under the lease granted by the agreement of 1886”, Tamil Nadus application of April 9, 2015 said the “action of the officials of Kerala amount to violation of its legal rights to the exclusive peaceful and uninterrupted enjoyment of the property”.
It said the Kerala police remainéd silent spectators as Tamil Nadu’s “exclusive peaceful and uninterrupted possession is being seriously and unlawfully affected”.
The Supreme Court in February this year sought the Centre’s response on Tamil Nadu’s plea to replace Kerala Police with the Central Industrial Security Force to guard the dam.
The application wants the Supreme Court to direct Kerala government to allow free access to Tamil Nadu officials to the dam and its appurtenant structures to collect data and change the weekly chart in the Mullakodi rainfall station.
It said the court should direct Kerala to allow Tamil Nadu to transport the machinery and materials required for carrying out repairs.
