New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) The Supreme court Monday directed the Kerala government to permit Tamil Nadu to undertake maintenance and cleaning work at the Mullaperiyar dam.

The five-judge bench headed by Justice D.K. Jain said that the maintenance and the cleaning work at the dam would be undertaken under the supervision of a three-member committee.

The three-member committee will comprise of a superintending engineer each from Tamil Nadu and Kerala and an independent representative nominated by the chairman of Central Works Commission.

The court's order came in pursuance of an application by Tamil Nadu government, seeking directions to Kerala to permit maintenance and cleaning of the dam by it.

The court has permitted 40 reports commissioned by an empowered committee be given to both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The empowered committee headed by the former chief justice of India, Justice A.S. Anand, was set up by the Supreme Court to look into the safety of the dam.