Kerala has secured a major victory in the Mullaperiyar Dam case, with the Central Water Commission deciding to conduct a safety audit within 12 months. The decision was taken at a meeting of the CWC held in New Delhi on Monday.

Roshy Augustine, Kerala's Minister for Water Resources, has expressed his excitement over the development. "Kerala has repeatedly raised this demand. We have always maintained the position that Tamil Nadu must get its water, but Kerala needs the guarantee on the safety of the dam," Minister Augustine said.

The last safety audit of the century-old structure was done in 2011. Kerala has been demanding a fresh audit at the earliest, considering more than a decade has passed. During that time, the state witnessed a couple of heavy floods and a series of fatal landslides in the hilly districts that triggered panic among the public.

However, Tamil Nadu had contended that the next audit wasn't necessary under the Dam Safety Act of 2021, at least until 2026.

"But this CWC decision makes Tamil Nadu's demand invalid. The last inspection was under the watch of an empowered committee appointed by the Supreme Court. The fresh one to be done by neutral experts will evaluate the structure's safety, besides its operational condition and safety from earthquakes and flooding," Minister Augustine said.

Kerala has repeatedly said the masonry dam opened in 1895 over the Periyar in Idukki district was unsafe. It has been demanding the decommissioning of the existing dam and constructing a new one in the downstream region of Mullaperiyar Dam. Tamil Nadu relies on the dam for irrigation purposes.