450 FAMILIES NEAR MULLAPERIYAR DAM MAY BE SHIFTED

450 FAMILIES NEAR MULLAPERIYAR DAM

MAY BE SHIFTED

The Kerala government Friday, 2nd, December, 2011, informed the state High Court that at least 450 families living near the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam area would be evacuated to safer places soon. In a counter-affidavit, the government also said that a mock safety drill will be conducted near the dam area. The submission was made after the division bench directed the Government to give details of the safety measures being contemplated anticipating threat to the dam.

Hearing a batch of petitions relating to safety concerns over the dam, the court sought details from the government about the water level of Cheruthoni, Kulamavu and Idukki dams.A division bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice P.R. Ramachandra Menon, also asked the Government to explain the steps to lower the water level in these dams. The court asked the Government whether it was prepared to seek help from the Army in case of an emergency while anticipating threat to Mullaperiyar Dam.

The 450 families living in places between the Mullaperiyar and the Idukki dams on the banks of the periyar will be relocated shortly, if they agree to a proposed to move them to safer areas.

These families are the most vulnerable to the threat of  failure of the 116 year old Mullaperiyar dam.. They will be approached with the proposal,which forms part of an emergency rescue programme planned by the state authorities in Mullaperiyar. Mock drills and awareness programmes on emergency response measures to adopt in case of a dam brech will be carried out in Mullaperiyar shortly. The authorities have identified 12 safe havens or high altitude locations to which peoplecan move in case of a disaster.

  With the fear of a dam break gripping the state following the recent series of tremors in Idukki, disaster management experts are chalking out emergency rescue measures. Twenty six earthquakes of magnitudes ranging from 2.4 to 3.8 on the Richter scale had been reported from Idukki during the past four months. The highest magnitude was reported in November. The increase in the water level in the dam had raised oanic. Twenty students who have completed a course in disaster management will be recruited as interns immediately for carring out awrness programs in the Mullaperiyar area. The programme will be community based involving the residents. A mock drill will follow.

  The residents will be trained in emergency response measures. Pamphlets listing the dos and don’ts in case of an emergency will be distributed to the residents. The frame work for the highly sensitive programme is being chalked out. The safe havens identified include some public offices and educational institutions. However, the authorities said no plans had been made to airlift people in case of a disaster.

The authorities are in the process of demarcating vulnerable zones and carrying out a hazard vulnerability risk assessment in the area. Preparation of a contingency plan will follow. Highly where people can be evacuated will be identified. A plan is being made to optimize rescue measures. Emergency equipment, including lights, generators, and mobile television sets, has been moved to the area. A Deputy collector from the state Disaster Management cell will be deputed to assist the District Collector for coordinating the emergency and rescue operations. The control rooms opened at the District collctorate and the cell function round have been sanctioned to the distrit administration. The District collector has been given powers to requisition vehicles.
   Experts from the Indian institutes of Technology in New Delhi and Roorkie and Geological survey of India had earlier cautioned the authorities that tremors of magnitudes 5 to 5.5 on the Richter scale would be disastrous to the dam. As these agencies have the technical expertise to evaluate the situation and are functioning independent of the  State government, their assessments should be considered seriously.


                                                                         Prof. John Kurakar