Though owned, operated and maintained by TN, the dam is situated in the upper reaches of Idukki, serving the arid southern districts of TN.
Published Jan 25, 2024 | 12:40 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 25, 2024 | 12:40 PM
Mullaperiyar dam. (Supplied)
The Kerala government said on Thursday, 25 January, that constructing a new dam to replace the existing 128-year-old structure on the Mullaperiyar river is the only solution to ensure the safety of the lakhs of people living downstream.
Though owned, operated, and maintained by Tamil Nadu, the dam is situated in the upper reaches of Kerala’s Idukki district. Water from the reservoir is diverted through tunnels to the arid southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
The announcement was part of the customary policy address of his government in the state Assembly by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.
“My government is of the view that the construction of a new dam, conforming to recent standards of design and construction, in the downstream reaches of the existing Mullaperiyar Dam is the only solution for protecting the safety of lakhs of people living downstream,” the policy address read.
It said the dam’s front and rear faces are constructed of uncoursed rubble masonry in lime mortar and the central core constructed with lime-surkhi concrete — a mixture of burnt brick powder, sand, and sugar.
People in Idukki have often raised concerns over the dam, noting that any breach — like the recent instances in Libya and Sikkim — would cause grave damage and fatalities downstream.
“Taking into account the excessive and erratic rainfall and floods during the monsoon seasons in 2018-2021, particularly in Idukki district, the only solution lies in constructing a new dam which assures water to Tamil Nadu and safety to the people of Kerala living in the downstream region,” it said.
The policy address said Kerala has expressed this view in all related forums and will take all possible steps for an amicable settlement with Tamil Nadu.
While Tamil Nadu has been maintaining that the dam was “absolutely safe”, Kerala has been vociferous in its demand for a new dam to be built near the existing structure.
In an unprecedented move which also indicated his displeasure with the ruling Left front in the state, Governor Khan on Thursday quickly concluded the government’s customary policy address in the Assembly by only reading out its last paragraph.
Commissioned in 1895, Mullaperiyar Dam meets the drinking water requirements of the Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu, apart from irrigating 2.19 lakh acres.
Mullaperiyar Dam and its 999-year water lease agreement between the erstwhile royal regime of Travancore and the Madras Presidency has been a bone of contention between the two neighbours for quite some time.
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 it would cause enormous destruction to the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
(With PTI inputs)
