Mullaperiyar: Dam break analysis report submitted

 Saturday, January 21, 2012: Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee has on Saturday submitted a ‘dam break analysis’ report on the ageing Mullapperiyar dam to the state government.
Water Resources Minister PJ Joseph informed that the report clearly indicates the 116-year-old structure is not at all safe. The dam break analysis was monitored by Prof S. K. Mishra, Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee.
The report also points out that if a tremor which exceeds six in the Richter scale is recorded there is huge possibility of a dam breach.
The objective of dam-break modelling or flood routing is to simulate the movement of a dam-break flood wave along a valley or indeed any area ‘downstream’ that would flood as a result of dam failure.
Kerala has some of the oldest dams of the world, according to experts. The level of risk associated with a dam is a function of probability as well as consequences of dam failure.
Mullaperiyar shot into limelight after a series of light tremors and ground movements felt in the neighbourhood over a short span of time this year raised fears about its continued safety.
The dam is considered a ‘high hazard dam’ as per the hazard potential classification considering the human and economic loss criteria fixed by the Central Water Commission (CWC).