HOME       Contact Us      Hire Us       Domestic Airlines        Railway Enquiry     Railway Booking     Hotels & Flights Abroad
NEIGHBOURS CALLING:      Dubai      Malaysia     Nepal     Bhutan
Yogi Logo
indiatraveltimes.com
Yogi Logo
Kerala wants new dam at Mullaperiyar: Pinarayi

While the CM has warned of action againt those spreading panic over the old Mullaperiyar dam collapsing, the apex court has asked the Centre to help find an early solution to avert a massive disaster.

NEW DELHI, Oct 25: With flash floods and consequent landslides claiming nearly 50 lives over the week in Kerala, the disquieting thought of a decrepit, 125-year old Mullaperiyar dam collapsing is once again on the front burner. As the apprehension of five districts in the State alongwith its 35 lakh population perishing in a deluge in case the dam breaks has escalated to global platforms, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is reassuring the people that the State Government is pursuing its demand for the constructin of a new dam. “The Government stand is for constructing a new dam," he told the Assembly on Monday.

At the same time, trying to dispel the fears, the Chief Minister said the dam is presently safe and warned those he said are trying to create a scare among the public.

"Legal action will be taken against those who are spreading false information in the social media with the intention of creating a scare about Mullaperiyar dam. There is no danger to the dam now," Pinarayi told the Assembly.

The Chief Minister said, “The State Government wants a new dam to be constructed. There are certain differences with Tamil Nadu. These will be resolved through discussions." Kerala had demanded construction of a new dam in 2009, and Tamil Nadu had opposed it.

He was responding to a question raised by members over the concerns being expressed widely over public safety vis-a-vis the dam.

An old study report by a UN institute has been brought up in social media posts in order to strengthen the case against the dam. The report says that the Mullaperiyar dam, constructed in 1895, is in an area vulnerable to landslips and quakes. It says a breach will endanger the lives of over 35 lakh people.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, on a plea filed from Kerala, wanted the two Satate Governments to sort out the long raging dispute as early as possible, remarking, "It's a very serious issue. It's a matter of people's lives and property." The apex court also asked the Centre to take note of the matter in view of the frequent flash floods and landslides that cause huge loss of lives and property. The court sought an immediate solution to the problem.

Tamil Nadu, in its response, told the court that there is no significant rise in the water level at the dam.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had in a previous case allowed Tamil Nadu to keep the water level in the dam up to 142 ft, twice a year, although Tamil Nadu had wanted it to be 152 ft and Kerala demanded it be kept at 136 ft.

On Sunday, Pinarayi had written to MK Stalin, his counterpart in Tamil Nadu, urging that Tamil Nadu draw more water from the Mullaperiyar dam via the Vaigai river to ease the pressure on rivers in Kerala as the level in the catchment area was rising. When Tamil Nadu waits until the level reaches the danger mark and suddenly releases water from the dam, several districts in Kerala become inundated.

Kerala had been raising the issues of safety of the old dam as it has shown cracks as also threat of flash floods when excess water is released without warning.

The main concern about Mullaperiyar dam is that the safety of 35 lakh people and property across several districts downstream in Kerala is at stake if it collapses. The average life expectancy of a dam is 50 years and Mullaperiyar is 125 years old. The technology used in the construction of the dam is also old and poor and lacks strength. The surkhi mixture used in the construction led to leaks in 1977. The plan for new dam was made then and survey started but Tamil Nadu had opposed. It is also located on a seismic zone. The earthquakes of 1979 and 2011 had also caused some cracks in the dam.

Mullaperiyar dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar river 881 m (2,890 ft) above sea level on the Cardamom Hills in the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki district, central Kerala. Gravity dams use their weight and the force of gravity to support the reservoir. It was made with concrete prepared from limestone and "surkhi" - burnt brick powder - and faced with rubble. Built in 1895, it has an installed capacity of 161 MW, and a height of 53.66 m (176 ft) from the foundation and 365.7 m (1,200 ft) length. The dam is built at the confluence of Mullayar and Periyar rivers and hence the name Mullaperiyar. The dam is located in Kerala but is operated and maintained by Tamil Nadu.

ADVERTISEMENT

SELECTIONS FROM OUR ARCHIVES

The incident has triggered a debate on social media whether the officer refused to take orders from a party leader or he was accused of any corruption, some netizens justifying the handling in either case, that Ratnakar was blocking public welfare work! It is true the Govt machinery has been the enemy Number One of the people of this country, existing for itself and for these politicians, for well over seven decades. India will never make an inch of progress - real progress, not make-believe-progress - unless and until this machinery is eliminated.

The irony lies in her illustration of her experiences in the country she has been living in for the last four years. What it really is!

ANALYSIS: There have been cases of Britons going to Switzerland to get rid of a miserable life. Now once the House of Lords also passes the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, terminally ill Britons can call it quits with the help of a medical practitioner here itself. But the measure when comes into practice, will have very serious social consequences, it is feared. There won't be comparisons, even as tropes in Latin American folklores. The worst case scenario is of those who are not terminally ill also trying to misuse the provision to leave this world early when life with dignity is not available. But that is, in fact, a political question and not a moral imbroglio!

The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.

Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.

  • The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line provides Kashmir with all-weather connectivity and integrates the Valley with the rest of India.
  • The saying 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is now a dream come true.
  • The Chenab bridge on the line, an engineering marvel, is the world's highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower. (Video: File)

A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924) (Today's headlines )

Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.

PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.

Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people. (Today's headlines )

"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...

Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.

Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.

The committee headed by justice Kurian Joseph will study Centre-State relations and make proposals to ensure foolproof separation of powers.

"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.

Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.

ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!

What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America! (Today's headlines )

PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).

In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.

THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.

The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.

Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See: New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)

ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Files
ARCHIVES

ADVERTISEMENT

Neighbours
Calling

Bhutan
Nepal
Malaysia
Dubai

Vaishno Devi Yatra is suspended since July 19 due to heavy rain and landslides
Lakhs visit the temple in Katra a day
Paleontologist Dr Alan Grant of Jurassic Park, actor Sam Neill dies in Sydney at 78
A legendary Dr Grant
Apex court stays Madras HC order to enforce ban on cow slaughter across Tamil Nadu
Cow is a religious symbol
"Nightingale of South India", veteran playback singer S Janaki dies at Apollo in Mysuru
Playback singer
Modi hoists saffron flag atop Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, marking completion of temple construction
Guru Purnima celebrations on Thursday, July 10: Why Hindus celebrate Guru Purnima; its significance
Krystyna Pyszková passes on Miss World crown to Opal Suchata from Thailand
Amarnath yatra commences on July 3, concludes on Aug 9; registration dates to be announced
Maha Kumbh Mela: Millions of pilgrims take holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Prayag on Vasant Panchami
Veteran Malayalam playback singer P Jayachandran passes away at 80 after prolonged illness

Fashion & Lifestyle
Cuisines
Yoga & Asanas
Fairs, Festivals & Melas
Religion & Cult
Pilgrimage
Art & Culture
History, Legends & Mythology
Ayurveda
Free Ayurveda Consultation
ADVERTISEMENT

ARCHIVES
A Window On India
Fashion & Lifestyle
Yoga & Asanas
Fairs, Festivals & Melas
Religion & Cult
Pilgrimage
Art & Culture
History, Legends & Mythology
Ayurveda
News (Archives)
Travel News
Travel News Archives
Travel News Index



Custom Search


Home
Contact Us

NOTE: Free contributions of articles and reports may be sent to: IndiaTravelTimes[at]gmail[dot]com

DISCLAIMER
All Rights Reserved © 2026 www.indiatraveltimes.com