The Supreme Court on Friday, 17 August, asked the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) and a sub-committee set up by Kerala to deal with the flood situation in the state to coordinate and explore the possibility of reducing the water level at the Mullaperiyar Dam by three feet.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice DY Chandrachud asked Kerala and Tamil Nadu to abide by the directions given by NCMC on the rehabilitation of displaced people and the reduction of water level from the existing 142 feet to 139 feet at the dam.
The bench observed that it was not an expert to deal with such severe natural calamity and was leaving to the executive to contain the crisis.
The top court asked Kerala to submit the report on the steps taken on disaster management and rehabilitation measures.
The Supreme Court had on Thursday termed the flood situation "grave" in Kerala and agreed to hear a plea seeking Centre's mediation between Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments on the issue of the Mullaperiyar Dam crossing the 142 feet threshold.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Indu Malhotra considered the submission of a lawyer and agreed to hear the plea on Thursday itself.
The plea sought a decision on disaster management steps in the background of the floods, opening of 33 dams in Kerala and confusion between Kerala and Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers, as water in the Mullaperiyar Dam has crossed the 142-feet threshold.
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The death toll in the monsoon fury in the southern state has crossed 167, while rains and flood water have caused extensive damage.
Rise in flood waters in Periyar River due to the rains and opening of the shutters of all major dams including Mullaperiyar, Cheruthoni, part of Idukki reservoir and Idamalayar, have severely affected the lives of people in downstream areas.
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