The Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government on Friday to ensure the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam is maintained at 139 feet, two feet below the permissible limit fixed by it, till August 31 keeping in view the unprecedented floods in Kerala.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justice AM Khanwilkar and justice DY Chandrachud considered the Centre’s submission that the sub-committee of the Mullaperiyar dam had met on August 23 and directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure the water level is maintained at 139 feet.