KOCHI: Yet another warning from the nature. As many as 22 tremors in less than eight months with the latest being 3.4 on the Richter Scale. And for about 1.5 lakh people in the immediate downstream of Mullaperiyar dam it’s nothing short of a death race.With experts predicting more tremors with epicentre close to the reservoir, the safety of the dam has once again come under scanner. The repeated tremors have put Kerala’s cause and the gravity of the situation before the empowered panel.Of the 22 tremors, one measuring 3.8 on the Richter Scale on July 26 was the most significant one.Experts have zeroed in on a pattern where the tremors are coming close to the reservoir region. They have pointed out that an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 or above could wreak havoc on Mullaperiyar.Already studies have indicated that even a mild tremor within a 16 km radius upstream Mullaperiyar will create gravity acceleration and the dam will not be able to withstand it.Though Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan announced setting up of realtime monitoring stations, the govt has not been planning rehabilitation of the thousands who could be simply washed away if a stronger tremor hits the reservoir. “We haven’t started moving out, where will we go? How safe is this region? As many as 40 lakh people would be affected if something drastic happens. There are close to two lakh people staying along in 28-km stretch from Vallakkadavu to Idukki. As usual government has been dilly-dallying,” pointed out Mullaperiyar Samara Samithi president C P Roy.With repeated tremors the dam has also seen leakages on its surface.“It’s evident that this region is prone to seismic activities. Going by the pattern, we have seen that the tremors began from 2.8 and has reached up to 3.8 on Richter Scale. Also it has come close to 32 km from the reservoir. The tremors have also reached on to the surface. That’s why we have designed the new dam with 0.21 g, which can withstand the seismic activities,” said Mullaperiyar Cell chairman M K Parameswaran Nair.The cell has already filed a list of recent tremors mentioning the date and intensity before the empowered panel. The latest one will also be submitted before the panel, which is scheduled to meet on Dec 5.
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