THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first part of the IIT Roorkee study, which had identified 22 major faults within a radius of 300 km around the Mullaperiyar dam site, was submitted in May, 2008, and the second part of the study, which analysed the structural stability using dynamic analysis, was submitted in October, 2009.
The IIT Roorkee study report had categorically stated that the Mullaperiyar dam was unsafe even at the reservoir level of 136 ft. Even without earthquake forces, the main Mullaperiyar dam is unsafe under flood conditions.
The report concluded: "Based on the analysis, both the main Mullaperiyar dam and baby dam are likely to undergo damage which may lead to failure under earthquake condition and therefore needs serious attention."
Even though the State Government had tried to file the second part of the report before the Division Bench of the Supreme Court during the hearing in November 2009, it was not entertained by the Court at that time.
However, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, while constituting the empowered committee to look into all the factual details of the Mullaperiyar dam, had made it clear that the committee was free to receive appropriate further evidence.
The State’s memorandum towards this will be submitted before the Empowered Committee on August 17. The Empowered Committee will hear the parties on August 23 at its first sitting. Now armed with two major scientific reports and two key witnesses, Kerala stands a good chance in the Mullaperiyar case.