Sunday, November 27, 2011

Tamil Nadu, we beg for our lives

    
     Mullapperiyar dam has again grabbed the media headlines after  an alarming situation formed due to mild tremors shook Idukki district, Kerala recently.   Though the epi-centre of quake was some far away from the dam site, the tremor had slightly affected the vicinity of dam as well.  Still, the recurrence of tremor causes concerns over the dam.  Quakes measuring 2.02 and 3.04 had shaken the area including the dam site. Some of the new studies state that the dam is not capable to withstand a quake measuring 6 in Richter scale.  Officials in-charge found two minor cracks in the bottom of the wall, said to have been caused by the quake.

     Mullapperiyar dam was built in 1895 and now is being operated by Tamil Nadu according to a lease agreement made between Maharaja of Travancore and Secretary of states for India on 29 October 1886.   The lease agreement was signed by Dewan of Travancore V Ram Iyengar and State Secretary of Madras State (under British rule) J C Hannington and it was an agreement  for 999 years.  The unfair and unprecedented lease was as part of British colonial exploitation of natural resources  those days.   British engineer John Pennycuick,  the chief engineer of the dam building project then, offered an expiry period of 50 years for the dam and now it has been 116 years since it's commissioning.

    
     People living in downstream villages are under 'sword of Damocles'.  Their nights are sleepless.   Hearing any rumbles make them panic.  Their children are sleeping with nightmares.  In case of Mullaperiyar dam collapses, a series of collapses will be followed.  The heavy rush of water will hit Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kulamavu dams and those wouldn't be able to with stand the monsterous force of water.  The consequences will be disasterous.  Almost 4 districts of Kerala will be wiped off.  35 lakhs of people will die.  Houses, premises, farms, and bio-diversity of Periyar reserve will be inundated.

     Meanwhile in Tamil Nadu, the issue is being portrayed in a different perspective.  The districts of Theni, Madurai, Dindugal, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram of the state are completely depending Mullaperiyar for their irrigation purposes.  Though the situation in Kerala is disasterous, the Tamil people misconceived that if the dam is decommissioned, the supply of water to their districts will be stopped.  Their farming lands are going to transform to barren lands.  The Tamil politicians, instead of convincing their people and making a bilateral solution for the menace,  evoke the Tamil sensitivity in order to avoid the reconstruction of the dam. They obviously play ugly political game on the issue.

     Tamil Nadu government has even gone to the extent that it has stopped screening of a hollywood movie 'Dam 999' in Tamil Nadu theatres which says nothing about Mullaperiyar dam.  Instead, the film portrays different cultures of India including the tradition of ayurvedha, Indian Music, astrology,  Indian culture and family bonds that exist in the people.  Only thing regarding dam collapse depicting in the movie is picturing of Banqiao dam catastrophe which had claimed the lives of millions of peoples of China in 1975.  The number 999 doesn't represent the lease agreement period of Mullaperiyar dam as it was misunderstood.  This number is september 9, 2009, on the date the dam collapsed as portrayed in the movie. 

    As the chief minister of Kerala, Ummen Chandy, stated very clearly, we are not going to interrupt the water supply to Tamil Nadu even in case of a new dam is built.  We are contending for the lives of  millions of our people.  We need the life when you need the water.  We are willing to provide the water abundantly for ever.  Tamil brothers, only you have to do is to permit us for building a new dam while keeping the water level of the reservoir reduced in order to ease the threat of collapse until the reconstruction of dam is over.  We beg for our lives. Please don't act reluctantly.
Picture : from Google.

13 comments:

  1. Millions of lives are under threat. May God save us. Only We have to do now is begging Tamil Nadu for permitting the reconstruction of Dam

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  2. The Tamil Nadu is reluctant to come out of the security of agreement that is the problem. Hope it will sort itself out soon.

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  3. First of all, Shukur, your heading does not match with your content. According to the content, we keralaites are the victims of unlawful practices to solve which the state and the central governments in Kerala, Tamil nadu and India failed miserably. They failed the kerala people. Now why should we beg to an unjust people or government.We go for our right. Honestly what we would look into whether the case merit to be taken to the international court of justice, when the governments fail its people for years, isn't it an option? So I do not want to beg to anybody

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks VMS for the read and comment.

    Prasanna,

    You have pointed out a relevant matter. Our all steps are legal. But my heading was formed only from the fear of an upcoming catastrophe. Let the legal actions to go ahead. It has not yet gained momentum. As we all know, it will take a lot of time to get justice from our courts. We have to save our lives first. Only solution for that is begging Tamil Nadu to concede for a bilateral solution as soon as possible. After our lives got secured, we will get enough time to go for a legal settlement. Thanks.

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  5. yes, my concerns are also the lives. To save them, I support a bilateral talk, placing facts on the table. But facts are nothing for the moronic politicians of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

    But, I do not want to beg, brother :)

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  6. not begging we are fighting for our right to live

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  7. Let's Pray! That is the only thing we can do !! Good post Shukoor.

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  8. Fine
    You have edited all the basic informations and the issue iin a nice way.

    All Political parties and voluntary orgnizations in Kerala are lobbied for a new dam at Mullaperiyar. The central govt.should find an urgent amicable solution to the vexed issue. Its seriousness shouldnt be simplified.

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  9. We are all in fear. But the affidavit by AG K.P Dandapani was really shocking . I think it has deeply bruised the sentiments of the people and has weakened the State's case in Mullapperiyar...

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  10. I dont know about your English blog ....
    Nicely told about Mullapperiyar issue.....with some territorial & geographical details

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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