SUO MOTU PROCEEDINGS INITIATED REGARDING THE REGULATION OF WATER LEVELS OF VARIOUS DAMS IN KERALA Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This suo motu writ petition concerns the aspect of Monsoon preparedness in the State of Kerala.

(2.) The south-west monsoon typically reaches the Kerala coast by first week of June. Kerala experiences heavy rainfall during the monsoon period, which consists of two primary phases: the south-west monsoon from June to September and the north-east monsoon from October to December. The south-west monsoon is the most significant, contributing substantially to the State's annual rainfall. Rainfall distribution varies between the southern regions and the northern regions of the State. The windward side of the Western Ghats experiences exceptionally high rainfall. During this period, Kerala receives extremely large quantity of freshwater, a significant portion of which flows into the Arabian Sea. Intense rainfall can cause flash floods, necessitating continuous monitoring of low-pressure systems and cyclone warnings. These warnings include forecasts on wind speed and direction for land and sea, advisories for fishermen, and districtspecific colour-coded alerts for rainfall intensity. Low-pressure systems may develop into cyclones, making early warnings crucial.

(3.) Concerned by the disastrous floods of August 2018, the rise in water level in the dams in the year 2020, and the situation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, this suo motu writ petition was initiated by order dtd. 28/5/2020 on the issue of the regulation of water levels of various dams in Kerala. The Court noted that the State of Kerala had two floods in the recent past and that there was heavy damage to the property and loss of lives, and safety evaluation of the dams had to be done to prevent any untoward incident. Opening of the shutters of the dams needed to be monitored. In light of the whether prediction and taking note of the newspaper reports, the Court was of the view that there is a need to initiate suo motu proceedings regarding the regulation of the dams in the State of Kerala. The Respondents were directed to file a statement with supporting documents regarding the measures taken to streamline dam operations in Kerala.