Tue Jan 28 18:30:38 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Downplays Mullaperiyar Dam Safety Concerns
**NEW DELHI, January 29, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday dismissed immediate concerns regarding the safety of the 130-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, stating that the structure has withstood more than double its designed lifespan. While acknowledging the longstanding concerns surrounding the dam, the bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti indicated that the dam’s safety is not currently an immediate threat, contradicting claims made by petitioner Joe Joseph. Both justices previously served on the Kerala High Court, with Justice Roy as Chief Justice.
The ruling comes after a similar petition in December 2024, which requested lowering the dam’s water level from 142 feet to 120 feet to mitigate the risk of a breach. This petition, filed by advocate Mathews Nedumpara, cited the devastating July 2024 landslides in Wayanad, which resulted in 220 deaths, as a reason for concern. Nedumpara argued that a Mullaperiyar dam breach would endanger the lives and property of five million people in Kerala. The Supreme Court will hear the petition again in January 2025. The dam, located in the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats, remains a subject of ongoing debate and concern.
First Piper 