New Delhi:
In the latest exchange of blows in the war over the Mullaperiyar dam, the Kerala government has taken Tamil Nadu to the Supreme Court.
Kerala has asked that the level of water in the dam be brought down to 120 feet (currently it is 136 feet). Kerala has been arguing that the 116-year-old dam is in danger of collapse, particularly because several tremors have been felt in the last six months in the area where it's located.
The Mullaperiyer dam, located in Kerala's Iduki district, caters to farmers in Tamil Nadu, which also controls the dam per an odd agreement that dates back several decades.
Kerala wants the dam to be razed and reconstructed. Tamil Nadu believes Kerala is manufacturing fear among the public as part of a conspiracy to curtail Tamil Nadu's share of the water.
Tamil Nadu has also approached the Supreme Court for intervention with two separate petitions. One asks the court to order Kerala to stop spreading misinformation about the safety of the dam. The other asks the court to instruct the Centre to provide special security at the dam site.