SC asks TN to maintain Mullaperiyar dam's water level at 139 ft till Aug 31

The Supreme Court Thursday ordered thaat the water level at the Mullaperiyar dam be maintained at 139 feet till August 31, keeping in mind the grave devastation that has taken place due to the unprecedented floods in Kerala.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the Centre's submission that the sub-committee of the Mullaperiyar dam had met on August 23 and directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that the water level is maintained at 139 feet, which is two feet below the permissible limit fixed by the apex court.

The bench made it clear that it would confine itself to the aspect of disaster management and said that the decision to lower the water limit in the dam has been taken in view of the devastating deluge in Kerala.

The observation came after Tamil Nadu government alleged that "it could be a part of a sinister design" to circumvent the apex court's decision fixing the permissible limit.

SC asks NGT to consider maintainability of Sterlite case against closure

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain Tamil Nadu government's plea against the National Green Tribunal's order allowing mining major Vedanta access to the administrative unit inside its closed Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin and asked the NGT to "finally decide" the matter.

A bench comprising Justices R F Nariman and Indu Malhotra said that the NGT would hear the matter on merits and also on the issue of maintainability raised by the state government.

"We may clarify that NGT may continue to hear the matter on merits and finally decide the matter on maintainability also. It is open for the state to argue on maintainability after which the tribunal will give its findings," the bench said.

ALSO READ: NGT allows Vedanta to access administrative unit of Sterlite plant in TN
The green tribunal had on August 9 allowed Vedanta to enter its administrative unit inside its Sterlite copper plant, observing that no environmental damage would be caused by allowing access to the administrative section.