What happens if mullaperiyar dam collapse

The leakage in the dam is another cause of concern. The report also pointed out that the technology which was put into use for constructing the dam years ago was obsolete compared to the sophisticated construction methods used now. According to the report, 35 lakh people in Kerala will be directly hit in the case of a dam-break. The report came amidst the growing concern over the safety of dams in Kerala, including the one in Mullaperiyar, due to the recurring bout of heavy rains, flash floods and landslides in districts like Idukki.

The report contained the details of the ongoing legal battle between Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the Mullaperiyar dam issue.

When the dam was commissioned in , its life span was fixed as 50 years. The demand for decommissioning the dam was made following the decaying of the strength of the dam. An amicable solution to the vexed issue has been evading all these years with Kerala and Tamil Nadu taking diametrically opposite views on the issue. Kerala claimed that the water level should be lowered as it feared the chances for a dam-break.

Tamil Nadu does not subscribe to this view. According to the UN report, though Kerala had demanded the construction of a new dam in , Tamil Nadu opposed it. The UN University has reviewed the security threat to the Mullaperiyar dam on the basis of the earlier studies made by various agencies.

More than 10, dams in the world have crossed a life span of 10 years. Many dams have completed years of existence. In India, more than 1, dams will outlive the year stipulated period by The lifespan of around 4, dams will expire by About 64 dams will become year-old by The Kerala Government is currently proceeding with the official parleys on building a new dam at Mullaperiyar.

Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine had recently told the State Assembly that discussions would be held soon at the Chief Minister's level and at the Secretary-level on the construction of a new dam. Earlier, discussions were held at the Chief Secretary-level and the secretary- level as a follow-up of the meeting held at the CM's level.

The new dam would be constructed in such a way so as to ensure water for agriculture and other purposes in the districts of Tamil Nadu, including Theni and Ramanathapuram. The leaks, which were found to be dangerous, were first noted in the dam in If these dams cannot hold the force, the lives of 3. Although the year-old Mullaperiyar dam is located in Kerala, it is operated by the government of Tamil Nadu which signed a year lease agreement with the former British government to irrigate farmland on its side.

Supreme Court orders to maintain water level of Mullaperiyar Dam at feet till 31 August. The Supreme Court Friday ordered that the water level at the Mullaperiyar Dam be maintained at feet till 31 August keeping in mind the grave devastation that has taken place due to the unprecedented floods in Kerala.

The report said that Mullaperiyar dam, built in , is situated in a landslide-prone area. In July , Idukki district experienced a series of tremors, the latest one hitting the region on November 26, Although the intensity of the earthquake was slight, around 3. Soon after this earthquake, the water level in this dam rose to around ft, which is supposedly much larger than its capacity, the report added.

The report, released in January this year, further detailed on the safety of the dam. The safety concerns are built on the fact that the dam has outlived its life and that it was built with old technology. Adding to these apprehensions of the resident population were the instances of leaks observed in the dam, leaching of the surki mortar, seismic disturbances and severe floods.

According to Kerala, if the dam collapses, it would wash away a stretch of about 25km between Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams affecting about 0.