- Location: Mullaperiyar Dam is located on the Periyar River in Idukki district, Kerala.
- River: It is built across the Periyar River.
- Ownership: The dam is situated in Kerala, but its operation and water rights are linked to Tamil Nadu under the historical agreement.
- Historical agreement: The Periyar Lease Agreement of 1886 was signed between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the Secretary of State for India.
- Purpose: The project was primarily designed to divert Periyar waters eastward towards the Madurai region of Tamil Nadu.
- Construction: The dam was constructed in the late 19th century and completed in 1895.
- Type: It is a masonry gravity dam.
- Water diversion: Water from the Periyar basin is diverted through a tunnel towards the Vaigai basin in Tamil Nadu.
- Inter-State issue: The Mullaperiyar dispute involves Kerala and Tamil Nadu, particularly over:
- Dam safety
- Permissible water level
- Maintenance and operation
- Rights arising from the historical agreement
- Supreme Court: The dispute has been repeatedly examined by the Supreme Court of India.
- Dam safety: The Supreme Court has permitted Tamil Nadu to raise the water level in stages, subject to dam-safety assessments and supervisory mechanisms.
- 2014 judgment: The Supreme Court struck down Kerala’s legislation seeking to restrict the water level and held that Tamil Nadu could raise the reservoir level to 142 feet, subject to stipulated conditions.
- Supervisory mechanism: A Supervisory Committee was constituted to oversee the dam and implementation of Supreme Court directions.
- Constitutional angle: The issue involves inter-State water disputes, federalism and public safety.
- Important river-basin point: The dispute is unusual because the dam is located in Kerala, while the water is primarily utilised by Tamil Nadu.
Prelims Questions
With reference to Mullaperiyar Dam, consider the following statements:
- It is located in Kerala.
- It is constructed across the Periyar River.
- Its waters are primarily utilised by Tamil Nadu.
- The dam is located in the Vaigai River basin.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
Mullaperiyar Dam is located in Kerala and is built across the Periyar River. Its waters are diverted towards the Vaigai basin of Tamil Nadu. Therefore, the dam itself is associated with the Periyar basin and is not located in the Vaigai basin.
