Urging for "sanity and sensitiveness", the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Tamil Nadu and Kerala to maintain restraint on their statements on the Mullaperiyar dam row, lamenting that they were adding fuel to the fire instead of dousing it.
A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Justice D K Jain, asked Tamil Nadu to ensure that the water level in the dam does not exceed 136 feet but declined to entertain Kerala's plea for reducing the level to 120 feet.
It also asked the Centre to clarify its position on Tamil Nadu's plea for deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to protect the dam from possible vandalism. "Both the parties instead of dousing the fire are adding fuel to it. There has to be sanity and sensitiveness," the bench observed, while referring to the hostile atmosphere prevailing in the two states on the century-old dam issue.
Tamil Nadu government, on December 1, had moved the apex court accusing Kerala government of whipping up a "fear psychosis" on Mullaperiyar row and sought the court's direction to restrain the state from making any controversial statement on the issue.
Tamil Nadu alleged Kerala, despite a status quo order by the apex court, was giving public statements on the issue of pulling down the dam and constructing a new one in its place.
Kerala government had responded on December 8 by filing an application for a direction to Tamil Nadu government to reduce the water level in the dam from 136 feet to 120 feet so as to avoid any immediate calamity.
While Kerala wants to demolish the dam located in its Idukki district due to the perceived ecological threat and possible collapse of the dam, Tamil Nadu wants the structure to be protected as it caters to irrigation and drinking water needs of a dozen of its districts.
