Mullaperiyar Dam: Kerala demands long-term scientific study before safety panel report
Kerala has formally requested a rigorous, long-term technical evaluation of the Mullaperiyar dam, ahead of the final report by the five-member comprehensive safety panel. The state submitted an eight-page written document detailing its safety concerns when the panel met recently to hear both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
James Wilson, adviser to the Kerala government on inter-state water issues, said the state emphasised critical safety parameters. “We spoke to them about floods, seismology, and the necessity of extracting and testing core samples from the dam. We pointed out that this is not a process that can be concluded with a routine one-day inspection; it is an extensive, detailed process. We didn’t just state our concerns verbally; we submitted them in writing as well,” Mr. Wilson said.
The expert panel agreed to consider the state’s concerns, though the decision to act on them remains within the committee’s mandate. “What we primarily demanded is that the safety review proceed strictly in accordance with the terms of reference fixed in August 2025,” he added.
According to officials, Kerala’s demands fall under four broad areas:
Hydrological safety: Evaluation of the dam’s capacity and response under severe flood scenarios.
Structural safety: Assessment of material integrity, requiring core sampling and rigorous physical testing.
Seismic vulnerability: Re-evaluation of geological risks and earthquake resilience, given the region’s seismic activity.
Seepage instrumentation: Precise measurement and assessment of seepage parameters to detect potential weaknesses.
On Tuesday, the panel carried out a comprehensive field inspection of the main dam, baby dam, earthen dam, and the spillway. The panel’s chairman, Balraj Joshi, a former chairman and managing director of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), said the committee will submit its report within two weeks.
Sources said Kerala also requested that if the panel cannot conduct a full scientific study as part of its current inspection, it should formally recommend one in its final report. This reflects the state’s position that a one-day visit is insufficient to address long-standing safety questions.
The five-member panel includes Gopal Dhawan (former executive director, NHPC), Prof. M.L. Sharma (head, International Centre of Excellence in Earthquakes and professor of earthquake engineering, IIT Roorkee), Gulshan Raj (former chairman, Ganga Flood Control Commission), and Ashutosh Dash (former engineer-in-chief-cum-special secretary, Water Resources Department, Odisha).
The safety evaluation follows a 2022 Supreme Court directive ordering a comprehensive review of the Mullaperiyar dam, issued in response to a petition filed by Joe Joseph, a resident of Kothamangalam in Kerala. The dam, located in Kerala’s Idukki district, is operated by Tamil Nadu under a 999-year lease agreement signed in 1886. It has been a recurring source of friction between the two states, with Kerala raising concerns about its structural stability and Tamil Nadu maintaining that it is safe.
The Mullaperiyar dam, built in 1895, is among the oldest dams in India. Its location in a seismically active zone has heightened concerns, particularly after earthquakes in the region in recent decades. Kerala has repeatedly called for a new dam, while Tamil Nadu has opposed that proposal, citing the existing agreement and the dam’s importance for irrigation and drinking water supply.
The panel’s upcoming report will be crucial in determining the next steps on the dam’s safety. While Kerala’s written submission is non-binding, it underscores the state’s insistence on a scientific, data-driven approach rather than a cursory inspection. The final report, expected within two weeks, will be closely watched by both states and by environmental and water-rights groups.
