1st November 2007, having crossed 136 feet, water has started flowing through the spillways of the Mullaperiyar dam; Idukki dam which is downstream though almost full should be able to hold this overflow under normal circumstances. The massive Idukki dam might even be able to contain all of the waters of the Mullaperiyar reservoir in case of a mishap during summer when the storage in both the dams will be low but it is out of the question if any disaster happens during the monsoons at a point when both the dams are near their full storage capacity.
God forbid, if unfortunately the more than a century old Mullaperiyar dam where to give way at this juncture when the Idukki dam is brimming, it is unlikely that the rushing waters can be contained even if all the shutters of the Cheruthoni dam were to be opened to the maximum; the deluge is likely to knock down the shutters and in a worst case scenario tear down the dam itself leading to a catastrophe of gigantic proportions all the way downstream.
The Mullaperiyar dam structure seen above the water level does appear to be able to withstand for another century, but it is not the case with what is visible of the foundation when the water recedes. If all is well with the foundation of the dam the Tamilnadu Government would not have objected to the naval team sent by Kerala to inspect it last year. The foundation at the reservoir face of the Mullaperiyar dam should be inspected immediately and do whatever is best for its safety.
When the life of any construction let alone a dam cannot be more than a couple of centuries at the most, the Mullaperiyar agreement between the erstwhile states of Travancore and Madras for a period of 999 years evokes suspicion.
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