Fear psychosis seems to have disturbed the children studying in schools situated close to the Mullaperiyar dam. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) officials visited several schools in the area following reports of massive fall in attendance rate. The counsellors conducted awareness campaigns among thousands of children studying in government and aided schools in the region. They interacted with students at schools in Vandiperiyar, Upputhara, Vallakadavu, Vanchivayal, Ayyappankoil, Elapara, Kumli and Kanjiyar.
A team of 18 counsellors visited 46 schools in different panchayats. They dealt with different issues troubling the 15,744 children in 28 schools. However, it was not sufficient to raise the confidence level of 4,337 children who were given counselling. 1,045 students who did not show any improvement are being given individual counselling. The Mullaperiyar issue and the frequent tremors hitting the district are triggering panic among the children, the sources said. Alcoholism and domestic violence in households of estate workers also have an adverse impact on the children.