In Brief
A public-spirited person challenged the government's failure to establish a definitive decommissioning date for the 131-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam and sought mandamus directing international agency assessment and financial provisions for potential disaster damage. While the Court confirmed the dam's established safety status and upheld prior directions, it held that disaster preparedness under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 is distinct from technical safety assessment. The Court directed the Central Government and both States to constitute exclusive Sub-Committees to ensure high-level preparedness for any unpredictable disaster, recognizing that citizens have a right to live without constant fear and that concrete, tangible assurance of safety is required, not merely technical safety certificates.
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