The dam, commissioned in 1895, is situated in Idukki district across the Periyar river and is operated and maintained by Tamil Nadu.
Published Aug 05, 2024 | 1:52 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 05, 2024 | 2:12 PM
A view of the Mullaperiyar Dam. (Creative Commons)
In September 2023, following the collapse of two dams in Libya and the subsequent loss of numerous lives, the New York Times published an article questioning the existence of ageing dams and their potential for major disasters.
The report also mentioned the Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala’s Idukki district.
“Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala, India is over 100 years old, visibly damaged and located in a region prone to earthquakes. Its collapse would harm 3.5 million people downstream,” the article said.
In the wake of the massive landslide in Wayanad in northern Kerala a week ago, on 30 July, the demands for the construction of a new dam to replace the 129 year-old-dam have gained momentum, again.
Advocate Russel Joy, who has been running campaigns for the construction of a new dam in Mullaperiyar dam, told South First that the dam poses an immediate threat to the lives of millions.
“The dam is 130 years old. When it was built there was no technology to make it prevent earthquakes. If anything happens, the destruction it would cause is unimaginable,” he said.
“The dam stands at a height of 850m. If it gets destroyed, the first thing to get out would be the silt deposit over 130 years. The dam holds around 120 tmc of water in a 64 sq km area. The potential energy of the dam itself is enough to cause damage that is inconceivable,” he added.
Several users on social media also raised demands for a new dam and pointed out that the dam was unsafe.
In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said that the existing dam was irreparable and an earthquake of magnitude 4 or above or a cloudburst could create a huge disaster.
“Mullaperiyar dam the condition of this dam is beyond repair. Any earthquake that measures 4 or another cloud burst will see the worst human tragedy the world has ever seen,” he wrote.
Mullaperiyar dam the condition of
this dam is beyond repair. Any
earthquake that measures 4 or
another cloud burst will see the
worst human tragedy the world
has ever seen.— Tom Vadakkan (Modi ka Parivar) (@TomVadakkan2) August 5, 2024
Vikas Saraswat, a columnist, said on X that Kerala and Tamil Nadu should work together for a solution.
“The 2018 floods in Kerala and now Wayanad tragedy in 2024. One shudders at the thought if the 130 year old Mullaperiyar is breached some day. All hell will break loose. At least four five districts will be submerged. TN and Kerala should work towards a solution, in time. Let work begin at alternate reservoirs or additional tunnel or even let a new dam come up, as Kerala suggests. But start doing something now itself without any delay,” he wrote.
2018 floods in Kerala and now Wayanad tragedy in 2024. One shudders at the thought if the 130 year old Mullaperiyar is breached some day. All hell will break loose. At least four five districts will be submerged. TN and Kerala should work towards a solution, in time. Let work…
— Vikas Saraswat (@VikasSaraswat) August 2, 2024
A user felt imminent danger.
“Kerala govt wants to wait until something serious happens before planning and executing disaster prevention mechanisms. Mullaperiyar Dam stands as water bomb that’ll blast anytime after a lot of warnings has been issued& the life of dam has expired,” the user wrote on X.
Kerala govt wants to wait until something serious happens before planning and executing disaster prevention mechanisms.
Mullaperiyar Dam stands as water bomb that’l blast anytime after a lot of warnings has been issued& the life of dam has expired. #WayanadDisaster #mullaperiyar— Arjun Sudhamol (@ArjunSudhamol) August 4, 2024
“The Mullaperiyar Dam issue is critical. The government must take immediate steps to decommission it and take necessary actions. This is a matter of safety for 3.5 million people,” another user wrote.
The Mullaperiyar Dam issue is critical. The government must take immediate steps to decommission it and take necessary actions. This is a matter of safety for 3.5 million people. @PMOIndia @narendramodi @nitin_gadkari
— Akshay krishna kumar (@kudos_kk) August 5, 2024
The dam, commissioned in 1895, is situated in the upper reaches of Idukki across the Periyar river and is operated and maintained by Tamil Nadu according to an 1886 lease agreement for 999 years made with the British government.
Water from the reservoir is diverted through tunnels to the arid southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
People in Idukki have often raised concerns over the dam, constructed using limestone and surkhi — a mixture of burnt brick powder, sand, and sugar.
Mullaperiyar meets the drinking water requirements of the Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu, apart from irrigating 2.19 lakh acres.
Though Kerala has been demanding a new structure to replace the existing one, the Supreme Court held that the reservoir was safe and allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level after strengthening the dam.
The proposal for a new dam is also facing resistance as it would be constructed in an earthquake-prone area and would cause enormous destruction to the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
On 29 July, the Supreme Court said that it would hear on 30 September the case to re-examine the validity of the lease deed of 1886.
On 28 July, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and objected to the Union government considering the Kerala government’s proposal of building a new dam in Mullaperiyar.
(With inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
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