Keralam has demanded a rigorous, long-term technical evaluation of the Mullaperiyar dam before the five-member comprehensive safety panel. The State submitted an eight-page written document detailing its safety concerns. According to officials, both Keralam and Tamil Nadu presented their arguments during the meeting.
James Wilson, adviser to the Kerala government on inter-State water issues, said the State emphasised critical safety parameters. “We spoke to them about floods, seismology, and the necessity of extracting and testing core samples from the dam. We pointed out that this is not a process that can be concluded with a routine one-day inspection; it is an extensive, detailed process. We didn’t just state our concerns verbally; we submitted them in writing as well,” Mr. Wilson said.
He said the expert panel agreed to consider the State’s concerns, though whether to act on them remained within the committee’s mandate. “What we primarily demanded is that the safety review proceed strictly in accordance with the terms of reference (ToR) fixed in August 2025,” he added.
“All our safety concerns have been presented before the committee in detail. Our demands fall under four main areas, namely, hydrological safety, covering capacity and response under severe flood scenarios; structural safety, regarding material integrity, which necessitates core sampling and rigorous physical testing; seismic vulnerability, involving a re-evaluation of geological risks and earthquake resilience; and seepage instrumentation, for precise measurement and assessment of seepage parameters,” the official said.
On Tuesday, the panel carried out a comprehensive field inspection of the main dam, baby dam, earthen dam, and spillway. The panel’s chairman, former NHPC CMD Balraj Joshi, stated on Tuesday that the committee will submit its report within two weeks.
Sources said the State also requested that if the panel cannot conduct a full scientific study as part of its present inspection, it should formally recommend one in its final report.
The panel includes Gopal Dhawan (former ED, NHPC), Prof. M.L. Sharma (Head, International Centre of Excellence in Earthquakes and Professor of Earthquake Engineering, IIT Roorkee), Gulshan Raj (former Chairman, Ganga Flood Control Commission), and Ashutosh Dash (former Engineer-in-Chief-cum-Special Secretary, Water Resources Department, Odisha).
The safety evaluation follows a 2022 Supreme Court directive ordering a comprehensive review of the Mullaperiyar dam, based on a petition filed by Kothamangalam resident Joe Joseph.
Published – September 02, 2026 08:30 pm IST
