A study by IIT Roorkie on Mullaperiyar Dam has suggested the possibility of a vast area around the 116-year-old reservoir getting submerged in flood waters within a short time if the dam collapses in the event of a strong earthquake.
Releasing the findings of the first part of the 'Aam-Break Analysis' conducted by IIT Roorkie on Saturday, Kerala Water Resources Minister P. J. Joseph said the study found that half the reservoir would entirely give in within a short time in the event of a dam failure. The study was commissioned by Kerala government to assess the magnitude of water flow and flooding in the event of a collapse.
Locked in a dispute with Tamil Nadu, Kerala has been pressing for construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar on the ground that the existing structure is weak, a contention rejected by the former.
In such a scenario, the Vallakkadvu, the human settlement closest to the dam, would be flooded within 26 minutes, Vandiperiyar within 31 minutes and Idukki dam, situated about 35km from Mullaperiyar, within 128 minutes, Joseph told a press-meet here.
The gushing flood waters could rise upto 9.4m in area just below the reservoir, 12.41m at Vallakkadavu and 8.5m at Idukki, he said.
The first part of the study covered a distance from Mullaperiyar to Idukki dam and its second part would cover an area between the Idukki arch dam and allied reservoirs.
Joseph said the study reinforced Kerala's stand that a new dam was the only solution to the problem and wanted Government of India to intervene and arrange a meeting of chief ministers of the two states to resolve the tangle.
Joseph, who belongs to the Kerala Congress (M), said his party, which had temporarily suspended its agitation on the issue, would discuss resumption of the stir after February 1.