The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments for inciting people in both states over the Mullaperiyar dam issue.
"You are adding fuel to fire instead of dousing it. There has to be sanity and sensitiveness," said the bench headed by justice DK Jain.
The Tamil Nadu government had filed an application seeking to restrain the Kerala government from making statements on the row despite an SC restraint order.
The bench also sought the Centre's response to Tamil Nadu's plea to deploy Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to protect the dam from possible vandalism. The Centre has been asked to submit its response by Thursday when the bench would hear the matter again.Dismissing Kerala's petition seeking reduction in the water level to 120 feet, the court asked Tamil Nadu to ensure that water level in the dam does not exceed 136 feet as directed by it in an earlier order.
However, the bench said Kerala's fears of the dam's collapse could not be brushed aside.
Kerala water resources minister PJ Joseph, who was present in the court, said the state would move the empowered committee on Wednesday with a request to reduce the dam's water level.
Kerala CM Oommen Chandy said the directive was not a setback as the SC had shared some of the state's concerns.
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