The Realtime Catastrophe : Mullaperiyar Dam

The Realtime Catastrophe : Mullaperiyar Dam

I feel myself responsible to scribble something upon the issue of the upcoming and most dangerous Catastrophe to be witnessed by Kerala in a very short period ( no idea, WHEN ..!!!)

This would be a great disaster ahead ,assumed to take the life of around 35 million people of four districts of kerala ( mainly ) in South India.  The Mullaperiyar dam is said to be in a very weak condition at present and today it has reached the worst condition ever ,due to minor earthquakes and heavy rain.

FACT-FILE :

Mullaperiyar Dam is constructed over the source of the Periyar River in Kerala, India. During the rule of the British in India a 999-year lease was made and accordingly, the Government of Tamil Nadu has been operating the dam. The Periyar National Park is located around the backwaters of this dam.

The dam was built by British under the supervision of Benny Cook in 1896.  The dam’s purpose was to divert the waters of the west-flowing Periyar River eastwards, since it caused widespread floods in the Travancore region, by constructing a masonry dam and diverting the water from the reservoir by way of a tunnel across the watershed and the Western Ghats to the rain shadow region of the Theni Sivaganga District and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu.

The lease provided the British the rights over “all the waters” of the Mullaperiyar and its catchments, for an annual rent of Rs. 40,000. About 60,000 ha in Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, and Dindigul districts in present day Tamil Nadu were intended as beneficiaries of irrigation waters from Mullaperiyar. Water is brought through a 1.6 km long tunnel till the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border and then flows through open canals to Churuliyar river which feeds the Vaigai dam in Tamil Nadu. From there a network of canals take the water to the fields.

" I'M SAFE " - Attitude :

“I don’t live in the affected area anyway. I am safe. Why should I worry . Me and my family is Safe. " Some others also have the view that " All this is a conspiracy by the film producers, realestate mafias to get some sort of mileage out of it.Just dont think over too much "

Though the issue has evoked strong reactions in the affected areas, the remaining simply do not know or care about this. Even some living in the areas that are going to be affected seem to be least perturbed. The protests seem to be most vocal only among the people living in the shadow of the dam who are literally scared to death and terrified.

Apart from them, the only others who care seem to be a small group of people , Celebs who have access to the internet and are active on Facebook, Twitter and so on and come together to conduct small candle light vigils etc. which will have little or no effect, but will help to put across the point anyway.

At this point, I take the Opportunity to serch the So-called Gandhian of this era. But surprisingly, not one, not even One of these so-called intellectuals or Social-activists have even opened their precious mouths to give their comments or lead the people on this case. They sit atop their stinking thrones thinking that problems like these that really affect the common people are inferior or not worth enough for their golden words and more-precious-than-diamonds brains and thought process to be wasted upon.


PREVAILING  ARGUMENT:

Several arguments are prevailing on this Mullaperiyar issue to escape from the real responsibility. Both the Govt. are trying to take the privilege on the dam.

The fact based on scientific research states that  37 dams exits in India, which are more than 100 years old and still in service and hence it is not prudent to conclude that Mullaperiyar is unsafe based only citing the age of the structure.

COUNTER ARGUMENT from TN : It is true that there are more than 37 dams exists in India which are more than 100 years old (Source: National Register of Large Dams, 2002). But a close look into the above data shows that out of the above 37 dams, 30 dams are of earthen dams having around 20 m height and more over having only an average gross storage capacity of less than 1 TMC! Hence these earthen dams are only can be qualified to be as ‘earthen bunds’ and does not pose much threat.

AFTERMATH :

The Mullaperiyar Dam Disaster , if it happens due to the age of the dam and the cracks in it may directly cause you death and even if you survive, you will slowly die of diseases, hunger and thirst. The Industrial , Economic, Financial and Social Consequences of the Disaster will be unimaginable, so  badly that it will affect the progress of Kerala and Tamil Nadu for years.

Further Impact on the 4 Districts :

As it passes across the plains of central Kerala, the wall of water will spread out till it reaches the Arabian Sea. Whatever the water picks up will be deposited everywhere along the way from Kulamavu till the Arabian sea, maybe from Kodungalloor in the north to Haripad in the south, forming a real Kerala triangle on the lines of the Bermuda Triangle. All those rubber plantations, the curvy snaky MC road and he huge houses people built up along it, many pilgrim centers (even Sabarimala will be in danger), the international Airport, Harbor, Naval Command and in short anything that has been built up in the path of the water will be flattened and crushed out of existence. All those houses people built up through a lifetime of toil, sweat and sacrifice will turn into their own watery, muddy graves.

THE ONLY SOLUTION :

The only solution for this crisis and to save the state and it’s people is to build a new, strong and modern dam somewhere downstream on the Periyar.

This will ensure that the people of Kerala will remain safe while Tamil Nadu can continue receiving water. There is an advantage here that TN can get even more water than what it is receiving now since the new dam could be filled to the brim.

Let the Supreme Court takes an advisable decision respecting the lives of 35 millions of life. Lets all strive together for mankind and humanity. Let " God's own country " remain the same forever spreading its natural beauty all over....