Kerala: Mullaperiyar dam is a disaster in waiting
The 116-year-old leaky Mullaperiyar dam, operated by the Tamil Nadu government, is too weak to withstand a strong quake.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government stepped up its demand on Wednesday for a new dam at Mullaperiyar and re-emphasized that the old dam is a disaster in waiting. It made an urgent appeal to the Tamil Nadu government to reduce the level of water in the 116-year-old leaky Mullaperiyar dam situated in the hilly Idukki district.
The appeal comes after IIT Roorkee experts pointed out that a quake in the region could lead to the dam bursting and bringing in untold misery for Kerala.
At a press conference called to highlight the lurking danger, Kerala water resources minister P. J. Joseph pointed out that the dam site and its surrounding areas have already been rocked by tremors 20 times since July.
The appeal comes after IIT Roorkee experts pointed out that a quake in the region could lead to the dam bursting and bringing in untold misery for Kerala.
At a press conference called to highlight the lurking danger, Kerala water resources minister P. J. Joseph pointed out that the dam site and its surrounding areas have already been rocked by tremors 20 times since July.
The experts have warned that there can be a possibility of the area experiencing a quake as high as measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale and that the dam is too weak to withstand such a strong quake.
