IDUKKI: Despite a decline in the water level at Mullaperiyar due to reduced rainfall in the catchment areas, political parties are escalating their protests, demanding the decommissioning of the 128-year-old dam. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has announced a vehicle rally from Mundakayam to Chappathu near Kumily on August 15 to draw attention to the issue.
NCP representatives criticised the government’s inaction, stating that the century-old dam poses a significant threat to the lives of those living downstream. The rally was flagged off by NCP state president N A Muhammad Kutty at 35 Mile on Thursday at 9am. The rally will pass through Peruvanthanam, Kuttikkanam, Peermade, Pambanar, Vandiperiyar, Kumily, Chelimada, and Vellaramkunnu, and conclude in Chappathu at 6pm. NCP state general secretary K K Shamsudheen will lead the closing ceremony.
Simultaneously, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Thodupuzha Constituency Committee will hold a one-day hunger strike on Independence Day, demanding the decommissioning of the dam and the construction of a new one. The hunger strike will take place from 10am to 4pm, with AAP state president Vinod Mathew Wilson, C P Roy, Russel Joy, and C R Neelakandan addressing the gathering.
Meanwhile, the LDF District Committee, in an official release, accused other political parties of spreading baseless rumours about the dam’s condition for political gain. The release stated that the Mullaperiyar dam issue, currently under Supreme Court consideration, must be addressed through legal means with expert consultation. The government is reportedly making every effort to construct a new dam to ensure the safety of local residents. The LDF also criticised the state’s MPs for their inaction on the matter in Parliament over the past five years, urging against spreading unnecessary panic.
As of Wednesday, the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam has decreased to 129.65 ft, below the permissible limit of 142 ft. Rainfall in the catchment area was minimal, with Periyar receiving 6.4mm and Thekkady only 2mm.