About Mullaperiyar Dam
Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River.It is located 881 m (2,890 ft) above mean sea level on the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District of Kerala, South India. It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 by the British Government to divert water eastwards to Madras Presidency area (the present-day Tamil Nadu). It has a height of 53.6 m (176 ft) from the foundation and length of 365.7 m (1,200 ft).[1] The Periyar National Park in Thekkady is located around the dam's reservoir. The dam and the river are owned by and located in Kerala but the dam is controlled and operated under a period lease by neighboring Tamil Nadu state.The control and safety of the dam and the validity and fairness of the lease agreement have been points of dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu states.
Lease Agreement
On 29 October 1886, a lease indenture for 999 years was made between the Maharaja of Travancore, Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma and the British Secretary of State for India for Periyar Irrigation Works. The lease agreement was signed by Dewan of Travancore V Ram Iyengar and State Secretary of Madras State J C Hannington. This lease was made after 24 years negotiation between the Maharaja and the British. The lease indenture granted full right, power and liberty to the Secretary of State for India to construct make and carry out on the leased land and to use exclusively when constructed, made and carried out, all such irrigation works and other works ancillary thereto to. The agreement gave 8000 acres of land for the reservoir and another 100 acres to construct the dam. The tax for each acre was 5 per year. The lease provided the British the rights over "all the waters" of the Mullaperiyar and its catchment basin, for an annual rent of 40,000.
In 1947, after Indian Independence, the lease agreement expired. After several failed attempts to renew the agreement in 1958, 1960, and 1969, the agreement was renewed in 1970 when C Achutha Menon was Kerala Chief Minister. According to the renewed agreement, the tax per acre was increased to 30, and for the electricity generated in Lower Camp using Mullaperiyar water, the charge was 12 per kiloWatt per hour. Tamil Nadu uses the water and the land, and the Tamil Nadu government has been paying to the Kerala government for the past 50 years 2.5 lakhs as tax per year for the whole land and 7.5 lakhs per year as surcharge for the total amount of electricity generated. The validity of this agreement is under dispute between the States of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The matter is currently pending before a Division Bench of the Supreme Court.
Political Drama
Mullaperiyar dam is constructed before 116 years with a life span of 50Years. The lease agreement was first signed for 999years by Maharaja of Travancore, Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma and the British Secretary of State for India for Periyar Irrigation Works. The British secretary clearly knows the fact of dam and its strength. He made this agreement to adopt the British policy Divide and Rule.
From the formation of Kerala state there is dispute going on Mullaperiyar Dam issue. After the independence 1970 Chief Minister of Kerala Mr.C Achutha Menon renewed the lease agreement with Tamil Nadu govt. (note more than 75 years had finished when renewing the lease agreement)
After that UDF and LDF had ruled Kerala and they didn't take much interest in this matter. From last 3 years the people of Idukki district had started strkes against this issue without any support from political parties. When the people and media of kerala had taken this issue, slowly political parties of kerala also started to peep in this matter.
Last week we had seen the political climax of the strike. The major parties after meeting with Our Prime Minister just asked to stop the strikes going on the Mullaperiyar Issue without getting any confirmation from him that he will do maximum to solve this issue.
Now i think Mr.Chidanbharam (cabinet minister) had told the right thing. Kerala Political parties are playing the Drama. The only want to make people jokers and they just want to win the election.
The Major Issue due to Political Drama now facing by Malayalees
The tension in Kerala Tamil Nadu border over the Mullaperiyar dam issue has taken a toll on Kerala’s tourism industry. Reservation desks have been receiving more than the usual share of cancellations. The most affected tourist sites are Thekkady and Kumily. Industry sources also have confirmed the sharp decline in tourist flow.
The ongoing agitations regarding the Mullaperiyar dam has adversely affected the cardamom industry in Kerala. The industry has lost nearly Rs.60 crore over the last 12 days. All activities related to the industry, including auction of cardamom and upkeep of plantations have come to a standstill. The planters from across the border refuse to even visit their plantations in Kumily.
At last our chief minister had opened the mouth
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has asked the people of Tamil Nadu to refrain from being carried away by false news and claims regarding the Mullaperiyar dam issue. He said that there are few people who are spreading false news that the people of Tamil Nadu were being attacked in Kerala. He assured them that no crimes were being committed against Tamilians.
“Tamilians are safe in Kerala. Everyone must maintain restraint and control. Such false news triggers violence against Keralites in Tamil Nadu. There are fake news being spread that Tamilian workers and Ayyappan devotees are facing atrocities in Kerala. Such news are baseless and are not credible, ” he said.
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