Background:
The Mullaperiyar dam is a dam on the Periyar river. The dam is located in Idukki district of Kerala on the western ghats. The dam is fully owned by and located in Kerala.The dam was built by the British government to divert the water of the Periyar river flowing into the Arabian sea to flow east and provide water for for the arid region of Madurai in Tamilnadu. The water is diverted based on the lease deed that was signed in 1886 between the then Travancore princely state & the then British presidency to divert all the water of the Mullaperiyar to Tamilnadu for 999 years. The lease agreement lapsed after India got its independence as both the entities became nonexistent.
However, in 1970 the Kerala and Tamilnadu government renewed the lease agreement almost completely. The dam provides a larger benefit for Tamilnadu. Tamilnadu gets both water and power through the Idukki hydroelectric project.
Risk:
Dams are built with a definite lifespan. The Mullaperiyar dam was designed for a lifespan of 50 years. The dam has outlived its lifespan and by twice the designed lifespan.
The dam faces a threat of collapsing in the event of a seismic activity, torrential rainfall, floods, overflow of the dam, or a landslide.
Impact:
1) Floods downstream causing loss of human life and property.
2) Destruction of wildlife, flora, and fauna.
3) Impact on Idukki dam
4) Loss of crops that depend on the water of Mullaperiyar for irrigation, water for domestic use, and power generation in Tamilnadu
