As Mullaperiyar Dam turns 129, Debate Over Its Safety Rages On

Idukki: Opened on October 10, 1895, the Mullaperiyar Dam in the Idukki district of Kerala is a lesson in history, architecture, and politics. Standing at 176 ft tall, the 129-year-old dam is built on the Periyar River.

It is one of only two major non-cement dams in the country, besides the Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka. Both were built using surkhi mortar, a traditional blend of limestone and clay. The washing away of a gate of the Tungabhadra dam in August fuelled an already raging fire in Kerala, that of the safety of the Dam.

While the dam is located in Kerala, it is operated and maintained by its neighbour, Tamil Nadu. The dam was originally built by the British to provide water to the arid rain shadow region of Madurai in Madras Presidency. Safety concerns about the dam's structural integrity first surfaced in 1979 when a minor earthquake caused cracks in it. This prompted the Central Water Commission to step in to examine the structure. As a precaution, the commission suggested lowering the water level from about 142 feet to 136 feet.

"Just like Kerala, Tamil Nadu needs this too. If this dam bursts right now, where will the people of Tamil Nadu get water from? " asks Russel Joy, a social activist. "The farmers there know this and for that, they are ready to make a compromise. However, the governments of both states are not ready for that," he added.

Kerala has been campaigning for the construction of a new dam as there are a number of safety concerns surrounding the existing structure. The Tamil Nadu government is opposed to a new dam and has even warned of legal action if the Supreme Court's earlier orders on the Mullaperiyar reservoir issue are not adhered to by stakeholders.