Kerala has declined to provide original documents linked to the Mullaperiyar dam’s long-term lease agreement in response to applications filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
According to the request, Chennai resident Jeyakrishnan sought the original 1886 lease agreement signed between the Travancore Maharaja and the British government, along with the revised 1970 agreement related to power generation. He also asked for associated key records such as maps and photographs. A similar application was filed by Dan Mathew from Idukki district in Kerala.
After examining the applications, Kerala’s General Administration Department issued an official communication stating that releasing the original agreement documents and related maps could harm the state’s security interests. The department cited RTI Act Section 8(1)(a), which exempts disclosure of information that could affect the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, and said such original records would not be provided to anyone.
Tamil Nadu farmers were quoted as alleging that the refusal, citing security, is aimed at limiting Tamil Nadu’s intervention as Kerala pursues steps toward building a new dam in place of the Periyar dam.
The report also noted that Kerala had sought permission in May 2024 to conduct an environmental assessment for a new dam, which Tamil Nadu strongly opposed. Following this, the Union Environment Ministry sought the views of the Central Water Commission, and the latest move is expected to further intensify the legal dispute between the two states over Mullaperiyar.
