KERALA SEEKS NEW DAM- THE STATE IN PROTEST MODE

KERALA SEEKS NEW DAM- THE STATE IN PROTEST MODE

Kerala, which is worried about the rising waters of the Mullaperiyar dam, has raised the pitch for a new dam, with strong protests being held across the state against Tamil Nadu's opposition to its demand.The Congress-led United Democratic Front and the rival Left Democratic Front led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) are observing a dawn to dusk shutdown in Idukki district Monday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is to observe a total shutdown in four districts Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam – Tuesday,29^th November,2011..Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerhead over the Mullaperiyar dam, built in Idukki under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj. While the dam is located in Kerala, its waters serve Tamil Nadu. And this is the problem.

Tamil Nadu wants the dam's storage capacity to be increased by raising the dam height - from 136 feet (41.5 m) to 142 feet (43 m). Irrigation needs have shot up in Tamil Nadu.Kerala, worried that a strong earthquake might damage the dam and cause widespraed destruction, is seeking a new dam and has offered to fund and build it. Tamil Nadu doesn't agree.Various locations in Idukki -- Vandi Periyar, Kumali and Chappathu -- Monday morning saw people cutting across political affiliations gathering and shouting slogans for a new dam.At many places Left activists were seen shouting slogans against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, union ministers from Kerala A.K. Antony, Vayalar Ravi, and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and demanding that something be done immediately to save the lives of more than three million Keralites living in the districts of Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam as the Mullaperiyar waters rise with heavy rains.

"Chandy should now stop his whirlwind trips crisscrossing the state and direct his full energy to making the centre convince Tamil Nadu that the only way out is a new dam at Mullaperiyar," said CPI-M politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.Chandy stated that the central government will do the needful. "If there is a need for an all-party delegation to go to Delhi, it would be done," he added.Meanwhile, protestors gathered at the border near Thekkady and stopped all incoming traffic from Tamil Nadu.For the past few days, anger among people living in and around the dam area has increased. The sudden show of strength also comes after a series of tremors hit the area, with the last one striking 30 km from the dam site Saturday morning.Retired Justice K.T. Thomas, who is a member of the empowered committee of the Supreme Court that has been studying numerous issues raised by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, also believes that a new dam should be built.

"The next meeting of the empowered committee is taking place shortly and since the last meeting, Idukki has been affected by tremors and by all means this issue would be discussed when we meet very shortly," said Thomas. Idukki legislator Roshi Augustine of the Kerala Congress (Mani), an ally of the Chandy government, said it was time the central government acted fast."I am sitting on a daylong satyagraha in front of the Accountant General's office. All these years we have patiently waited and things are not moving at the pace which the people in and around Idukki want. We are now hopeful that with the protests stepping up, the centre will act for a new dam," said Augustine.P. Rajeev, a Rajya Sabha member of the CPI-M, speaking in Delhi just before parliament sitting began Monday, said the prime minister should immediately call a meeting of the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

 Kerala witnessed widespread protests over the Mullaperiyar issue on Monday,28^th November,2011,with people, cutting across political lines,agitating for decommissioning of the 116 year old Mullaperiyar dam. The agitation was more vociferous in Idukki (where the dam is located) and its adjoining districts and the State capital with political parties, voluntary organizations,and resistance groups joining hands in a rare show of solidarity.

  Earlier in the day,MPs from Kerala,cutting across party lines,took up the issue in both Houses of Parliament and stalled the proceedings seeking the Centre’s immediate intervention. They staged a dharna in front of the Mahathma Gandhi statue in Parliament House.

  At Karinkulam Chappathu in Idukki district,the protest almost took the form of a movement at  the grass-root level with people from different parts of Idukki district joining the stir. Roads were blocked in many places though the organizers,the Mullaperiyar Action Council,did not call for sucha course of agitation. Communist Party of India leader E.S Bijimol, who represents Peerumade in the State Assembly,continued her hunger strike on the second day on Monday with P.C George of the Kerala Congress joining her.

  A hartal called by the United Democratic Front
 and the Left Democratic Front was total in most parts of the disctrict,. Protesters blocked vehicles at kumily,which shares the border with Tamil Nadu, resulting in the traffic being held up for hours together. However, they allowed vehicles of Sabarimala pilgrims and emergency services to pass through pilgrims were often forced to wait for some time. At Vallakadavu,just 8 km downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam,children of the locality joined the fast. Many children in the area are having scary nights with every noise being mistaken for rushing waters.

   At Thodupuzha,advocates boycotted the courts. Schools and college remained closed. Students took out a protest march at Cheruthoni.  The protests were over the twin  demands for decommissioning of the existing Mullaperiyar dam and lowering of the water level in the dam to 120 feet pending its decommissioning  . The protesters demanded urgent Central intervention to resolve the issue.

                                                                        Prof. John Kurakar