Mullaperiyar Dam

Politics has always been a dirty game. Values always take a back seat in the light of positions, money, fame and what not.But politics also has been doing an even dirtier job of dividing people on the basis of their caste, locality, language to name a few. A few votes are gained, and posts, positions, secured for the immediate future...but what is lost is the sensitive fabric of nationalism which should bind India and Indians together in our struggle to achieve our nation's glory.

The latest dirt that the politicians are playing with is the Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala. By any count, it could be said that a 116 year old dam has outlived its age and purpose and has to be replaced. But then its here that the dirt surfaces. All this while, people in politics saw this only as an opportunity to make some noise and earn their set of brownie points, with no serious attempt being made to find a solution. Mullaperiyar has long been yet another issue where the politicians would free wheel with blaming the opposite party and then giving promises for an immediate solution

It is no wonder that the people of Wandiperiyar and neighboring areas, who will be the worst effected if the dam collapses have now taken the task upon themselves to spread the awareness and also to make their voices heard.Over 35 lakh lives at stake, 3 major districts in Kerala expected to be washed away into the Arabian Sea, and still we don't seem to be pushing well enough for a timely solution to the problem.

Cheap politics for temporary gains, is still the order of the day, when bye elections are around the corner in Piravom, which is one of the constituencies close to the Dam. The stiff resistance of local people has suddenly woken up parties on both sides and now they seem to be competing in trying to win over the local support. If half the effort was spend, trying to impress upon the powers that be at the centre, and also the tamil nadu government, an amicable solution would have surfaced long back, and who knows the new dam would well have been in place or at least the work for the same would have started.

All is not just bad at this side of the Dam. Our friends in Tamil Nadu have been enjoying the benefits of the dam all of these last 116 years, now don't want to loose control of the Dam. They fear that once a new Dam is in place they will not have a say in how much water they can take from the same. Records available show that Kerala has been honoring their requirement for water all these year, except recently, when we reduced the height from 142 to 136 ft, for fear of safety of the Dam. A clear agreement between the 2 states on how much water is to be drawn and for how long could very well be the solution to any mistrust or anxiety on both sides, but since that is not being ventured into, one is forced to believe that the politics behind the Dam is even dirtier than one could comprehend....But then at stake is 35 lakh lives who are valuable only during the elections...