Mullaperiyar row: Tamil Nadu tells SC Kerala misled court over baby dam tree-felling permission

New Delhi: New Delhi: Tamil Nadu has told the Supreme Court that Kerala has not granted permission to cut trees required for strengthening the Baby Dam at Mullaperiyar. The state made the submission in a status report filed before the Supreme Court. Tamil Nadu has also alleged that Kerala’s senior counsel misled the court by stating that permission for felling the trees had been granted.

According to Tamil Nadu, felling 23 trees is essential for strengthening the dam. In July last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to take a decision on Tamil Nadu’s application seeking permission to cut the trees. However, Tamil Nadu has claimed that the Centre informed it in October that permission could not be granted as Kerala’s approval had not been obtained. Tamil Nadu contends that, when the matter was heard by the Supreme Court in July, Kerala’s counsel had assured the court that permission would be granted.

The Tamil Nadu government has further alleged that the delay in Kerala granting permission, despite the Supreme Court’s direction, has stalled the steps required to strengthen the Baby Dam. The status report also points out that even 12 years after the Supreme Court Constitution Bench judgment of 2014, which permitted the raising of the water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam, the judgment has not been fully implemented. Tamil Nadu has urged the Supreme Court to direct Kerala to take the necessary steps to implement the 2014 judgment.