Keralam raises demand for detailed technical study of Mullaperiyar dam before security panel

Mullaperiyar panel chairman Balraj Joshi and James Wilson, adviser to the Kerala government on interstate water issues, led a team to visit the closure of the Mullaperiyar dam canal near Thekkady on Tuesday. | Photo credit: Sandeep Vellaram

Keralam has demanded a rigorous, long-term technical evaluation of the Mullaperiyar dam before a five-member comprehensive safety panel. The state submitted an eight-page written document detailing its security concerns. According to officials, both Keralam and Tamil Nadu presented their arguments during the meeting.

James Wilson, Kerala government’s adviser on interstate water issues, said the state is emphasizing critical safety parameters. “We talked to them about flooding, seismology and the need to take core samples from the dam and test them. We made it clear that this is not a process that can be completed in a routine one-day inspection, this is an extensive, detailed process. We communicated our concerns not only verbally, but also in writing,” Wilson said.

He said the expert panel agreed to consider the state’s concerns, though whether to act on them remains within the committee’s mandate. “What we have primarily demanded is that the safety review should be conducted strictly in accordance with the conditions laid down in August 2025,” he added.

“All of our safety concerns were presented in detail to the committee. Our requirements fall into four main areas, namely hydrological safety, covering capacity and response in severe flood scenarios, structural safety in terms of material integrity, which requires core sampling and rigorous physical tests, seismic vulnerability, including geological risk re-evaluation and earthquake resistance, and accurate seepage parameter measurement for official seepage measurements.

On Tuesday, the panel conducted a comprehensive field inspection of the main embankment, embankment, earthen embankment and spillway. The panel’s chairman, former NHPC CMD Balraj Joshi, said on Tuesday that the committee would submit its report within two weeks.

Sources said the state also asked that if the panel cannot conduct a full scientific study as part of its current inspection, it should formally recommend one in its final report.

The panel includes Gopal Dhawan (Ex-ED, NHPC), Prof. ML Sharma (Head, International Center of Excellence in Earthquake and Professor of Earthquake Engineering, IIT Roorkee), Gulshan Raj (Former Chairman, Ganga Flood Control Commission) and Ashutosh Dash (Former Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department).

The safety assessment follows the Supreme Court’s 2022 directive ordering a comprehensive review of the Mullaperiyar Dam following a petition filed by Kothamangalam resident Joe Joseph.

Published – 02 Sep 2026 20:30 IST