The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, the governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on a public interest litigation (PIL) demanding the construction of a new dam to replace the 130-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, citing serious concerns over its safety and structural stability.

A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was hearing a petition filed by the Save Kerala Brigade, which highlighted that more than 10 million people live downstream of the British-era dam.

“Some directions may be needed for strengthening the existing dam,” the Chief Justice observed, suggesting that an expert body should examine both the safety of the existing structure and the feasibility of building a new one.

The Mullaperiya

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