130-yr-old Mullaperiyar dam’s review held to assess structural integrity
The panel, headed by Balraj Joshi, former CMD of the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation, visited the dam and its premises at Vallakadavu near Kumily.
On Tuesday, a five-member independent expert panel conducted a thorough safety assessment of the 130-year-old Mullaperiyar dam in Keralam to determine if the iconic structure is still structurally sound. The panel, led by former National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) CMD Balraj Joshi, visited the dam's premises at Vallakadavu near Kumily.
The inspection was initiated following a 2022 Supreme Court order after a petition was filed by Keralam native Dr. Joe Joseph, who requested a comprehensive examination of the dam's hydrological, seismic, and structural elements to determine if the historic dam posed a threat to public safety. Keralam has been pushing for a safety audit and the construction of a new dam, while Tamil Nadu argues that the existing structure remains safe.
After the inspection, Joshi informed reporters that the panel would engage in discussions with officials from both Tamil Nadu and Keralam this week and would submit its report to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) within 15 days. Joshi emphasized that the panel would "impartially examine whether the structure is stable for general public safety" and would evaluate the dam's design, engineering, instrumentation, and seismic aspects.
The panel, comprising Joshi, ML Sharma from IIT Roorkee, Ashutosh Dash from the Odisha Water Resources Department (a Keralam representative), Gopal Dhawan from NHPC, and N. Sivakumar from the Central Soil and Materials Research Station, will also investigate the buildup of silt in the reservoir and suggest measures to increase its water-holding capacity.
Although the 130-year-old dam is situated in Keralam, it is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu. The dam was constructed in 1895 to supply water to the arid farming regions around Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The dam has been a focal point of the long-standing interstate water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Keralam, with both states debating the validity and fairness of the lease agreement.
Tamil Nadu maintains that the existing structure is safe and does not necessitate replacement, while Keralam advocates for a new dam due to the aging structure's design and construction techniques.
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