Mullaperiyar Dam

Mullaperiyar Dam

Situated in Kerala, Mullaperiyar Dam is built on the river Periyar. Mullaperiyar Dam was built between 1887 and 1895 by the Britishers. This dam was built to divert water towards Madras. The Mullaperiyar Dam is and the Periyar river is owned by Kerala.

Mullaperiyar Dam Controversy

Recently there has been controversy surrounding the Mullaperiyar dam. The Mullaperiyar Dam Controversy is as follows, for Tamil Nadu, Mullaperiyar dam and the diverted Periyar waters act as a lifeline for Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramnad Districts, providing water for irrigation, drinking and generation of power in Lower Periyar Power Station. Tamil Nadu has insisted on exercising its unfettered rights to control the Mullaperiyar dam and its waters, based on the 1866 lease agreement. Kerala has pointed out the unfairness in the 1886 lease agreement and has challenged the validity of this agreement.

However safety concerns posed by the 116 year old Mullaperiyar dam to the safety of the people of Kerala in the event of a dam collapse, have been the focus of disputes from 2009 onward. Kerala's proposal for decommissioning the Mullaperiyar dam and construction of a new dam, has been challenged by Tamil Nadu Governement. The Mullaperiyar Dam controversy has taken a political turn and if not resolved lots of lives will be endangered.

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Mullaperiyar Dam is constructed over the headwaters of the Periyar River in 1895Kerala, India. The Periyar National Park, Thekkady is located around the Periyar reservoir formed by the backwaters of this dam. It is operated by the Government of Tamil Nadu according to a 999-year lease agreement made during erstwhile British colonial rule.

Name

The name is derived from a portmanteau of Mullaiyar and Periyar. As the dam is located after the confluence of the Mullayar and Periyar Rivers, the river and hence the dam came to be called Mullaperiyar.which now does not exist as a river as it is part of the backwater/reservoir.The main river is called the Periyar River.

History

Periyar river is a west-flowing river of Kerala State. The river flows its full course entirely through Kerala, and derives its water almost exclusively from catchment area (Drainage basin) inside the State. The dam stops the west flowing river to form a reservoir, which is also exclusively located in Kerala. From the reservoir, Tamil Nadu collects water to the eastern side of Western Ghats via a tunnel.

On 29 October 1886 a lease indenture for 999 years was made between Maharaja of Travancore and Secretary of State for India for Periyar irrigation works. The lease indenture inter alia granted full right, power and liberty to construct, make and carry out on the leased land and to use exclusively when constructed, made and carried out all such irrigation works...
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