New Delhi:The Supreme Court today urged the Chief Justice of India to constitute another bench to complete the hearing on the Mullaperiyar dam row, involving Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as one member of the three-judge bench hearing the matter is retiring next month.

Justice C K Thakker, who is in the three-judge bench also comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and D K Jain, is retiring due to retire month.

The three-judge bench felt that the hearing on the matter listed today for hearing could not be completed in a month and hence it urged the Chief Justice to constitute another bench for the matter.

While Kerala wants the dam to be demolished and a new one to be constructed, Tamil Nadu has been opposed to it.

Though the Supreme Court in 2006 directed the Kerala Government to maintain the storage level of the dam at 142 ft, the State enacted a legislation subsequently to restrict the storage level at 136 ft.

Aggrieved by Kerala s move to "bypass" the apex court, Tamil Nadu filed a suit challenging the enactment.

The apex court on July 21,appointed a one-man committee of Justice Anil Dev Singh, former Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, to examine the issue and submit a report in court.
Source : PTI