- Ashish Devrari & Sourav Bhattacharya
On August 15, when Indian Bourgeois elite was celebrating its ascendance to power in 1947, two of its governments were engaged in a dirty game that finally resulted in a human tragedy of big proportions.
What both the Governments of Kerala and Tamilnadu had concealed from the people, their stance before the Supreme Court has exposed the same. What can be claimed without any doubt now, is that the floods in Kerala are no natural calamity, but a man made disaster, for which both the Governments of Kerala and Tamilnadu share equal responsibility.
in its affidavit to the petition before the Supreme Court, filed by Russel Joy from Idukki, seeking to reduce storage level of Mullaiperiyar dam, the Kerala Government accused the Tamilnadu Government of causing the devastating floods in Kerala, by first refusing to lower the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam and then suddenly releasing the water from the dam on August 15. The affidavit, read, “The sudden releases from the Mullaperiyar dam forced us to release more water from the Idukki reservoir”. It said that this was the main cause for the flooding of Kerala.
Kerala chief secretary Tom Jose submitted in the Supreme Court, that “The water level in the reservoir had crossed 136 feet at 4 am on August 14. By 2 pm the same day, the inflow to the reservoir almost doubled and the water level reached 137 feet.”
He claimed that the Kerala government had suggested the Tamil Nadu government to maintain the water level of the dam at 139 feet and slowly start the release of water. He said they got no reassurance from TN on the issue.
The Mullaperiyar dam is located in Kerala, but it is managed by Tamil Nadu. Kerala has been demanding decommissioning of the dam for a long time.
On Thursday, a senior official in the Water Resources Ministry told to PTI that the disaster management sub-committee has been instructed to monitor the water level of the Mullaperiyar Dam and TN has been directed to maintain the water level of the reservoir 2-3 feet below the 142-feet FRL mark till August 31.
“Keeping in view that rainfall may take place as monsoon is still active, the government of Tamil Nadu was advised that the reservoir may be operated as per the directions given by the Supreme Court last week. The level can be kept 2-3 metres below the Full Reservoir Level of 142 feet.” The Official claimed.
Refuting Kerala’s allegation that sudden release of water from Mullaiperiyar dam on August 15 was the main cause of the floods, Tamil Nadu on Friday accused in turn the Kerala Government of causing the floods by sudden releases from Idukki and Idamalayar dams.
TN Government claims that only 1.24 tmc water was released from Mullaiperiyar dam on August 15 and 2.02 tmc on August 16. Around 36 tmc of water was released from Idukki and Idamalayar dams by Kerala Government between August 14 and 19, which in fact had caused floods.
Tamil Nadu said Kerala had received torrential rain since the beginning of July and rainfall recorded for Idukki as per Meteorological Centre, Thiruvananthapuram between June 1 and August 22 was of the order of 3,555.5 mm, which was almost double the normal rainfall, occurred during a period of about two-and-a-half months.
The water level in the Idukki dam on August 14 was 2,399 ft against the Full Reservoir Level of 2,403 ft and the quantity spilled was 1.634 tmc. But on August 15, the level was 2,401 ft and the quantity spilled was 13.791 tmc, which is evident from data available in KSEB website. Thus, it can be seen that Kerala suddenly increased the releases from 46.26 Mm3 on August 14 to 390.51 Mm3 on August 15. Similarly, water released from the Idamalayar dam flows into the lower part of Periyar river. The release was nil on August 14 and 15, while on August 16 it was 117.72 Mm3. This sudden release of huge quantity of the water resulted in floods.
Mullaperiyar dam was constructed by the British Colonialists in 1895. Idukki dam was designed and constructed in 1976.
Mullaperiyar dam is designed for a Possible Maximum Flood (PMF) of 2,12,000 cusecs with peak outflow of 1,43,000 cusecs, that could be passed through the spill gates,”.
Maximum Water Level (MWL) of Mullaperiyar dam is 155 ft with Full Reservoir Level (FRL) at 142 ft. Rest 13 ft is available as flood cushion.
The affidavits filed by the two states and the data contained in them is amply clear to the fact that not only sufficient cushion of 15 mts height was available to regulate and control the water levels well in time but also there was sufficient time available time to manage even the future accumulation of the same during monsoons.
On August 15, the two states, without any liaison with each other, suddenly and simultaneously released huge quantity of water that caused the floods. No one in the entire apparatus of the two states cared about the floods even during the period of release of water.
The floods in Kerala, thus are hardly a natural calamity as is widely believed, but a man made disaster, one of the biggest in recent times.
The partition of the planet earth firstly among the bourgeois national states and then states within these states, with their own sectarian and narrow agendas, mostly in conflict with each other, with no responsibility on anyone for common concerns, is chiefly responsible for the disasters. This partition, that entails the partition of the natural and human resources too, excludes any possibility of management of the resources on a progressive basis by artificially fragmenting the same. Rivers that flow through more than one country and many of the states, are impossible to be managed for common good by the nations and states having rival, conflicting and irreconcilable interests.
Natural calamities in our times are not only predictable and manageable to prevent losses to the life and property, but are preventable to a great extent.
However, the callous attitude of the bureaucratic apparatus of the bourgeois states, their leaders and officials, leaves all the achievements and conquests in science and technique, completely redundant and useless.
Unimpeachable evidence has emerged in Kerala floods to the fact that the capitalism has shaped the world keeping it divided among the vested territorial interests that often at loggerheads or completely disconnected with each other, are the chief obstacle to a progressive management of the world and its resources. The divided bourgeois states and their localised governments, cannot present a viable governance in the age of a globalised economic life.
In Kerala floods, both the governments of Kerala and Tamilnadu are guilty of a crime that has resulted in hundreds of deaths and huge devastation of property across the entire state.
No political party or the bourgeois media has highlighted this most significant aspect of the matter. Amidst the clamour of relief operations and flood aid, the bourgeois parties and opposition have consciously attempted to hide this aspect. Neither the Tamilnadu nor the Kerala Government has told the facts to their citizens or to the media. It was only during their blamegame in Supreme Court, that forced them to defend themselves against each other, that the two got exposed.
Left parties and their leaders are part of the game. As the government is Kerala is run by the Stalinist Left Front, LDF, the Stalinists were keenly interested in suppression of the facts. They used the hullabaloo for humanitarian aid and charity to cover up the undeniable crime of the government led by them in Kerala in aiding the built up of this human tragedy.
We record our appreciation for the working class of Kerala and outside of it that stood firm, active and ready to aid the flood victims. Especially the fishermen in Kerala who worked hard and selflessly in rescue operations and refused to take any grants or even compensation for their labour offered by the Government. We salute the class solidarity shown by the international working class in tragic times.
We also severely condemn the mean attempts made by the leaders of various parties of left and right to crown their aid campaigns with party banners and for turning the aid campaigns into ad campaigns, advertising themselves in the garb of humanitarian aid. Young volunteers were forced to wear the shirts engraved with names of the parties by the political bosses and party flags appeared everywhere in relief camps. These attempts to encash a tragedy and derive political mileage out of it, spea for themselves of the commitment these parties and their leaders have towards the cause of humanity.
What is being attempted to pass under ‘natural calamity’ is through and through a man made disaster for which capitalism as a whole and the bourgeois state in particular is exclusively responsible. No amount of charity campaigns would be enough to cover up the unspeakable crime of the bourgeois governments and their leaders and officials in manufacturing this disaster over time. Charity is the attempt to cover up the criminal character of capitalism and bail out its governments from their criminal deeds in producing the tragedies.
The tragedies however cannot be prevented by any charities except through a forcible overthrow of the system of capitalism, destruction of all sectarian national frontiers that keep the globe and its resources irrationally partitioned, and finally, its substitution by a socialist system based upon a world governance.
What both the Governments of Kerala and Tamilnadu had concealed from the people, their stance before the Supreme Court has exposed the same. What can be claimed without any doubt now, is that the floods in Kerala are no natural calamity, but a man made disaster, for which both the Governments of Kerala and Tamilnadu share equal responsibility.
in its affidavit to the petition before the Supreme Court, filed by Russel Joy from Idukki, seeking to reduce storage level of Mullaiperiyar dam, the Kerala Government accused the Tamilnadu Government of causing the devastating floods in Kerala, by first refusing to lower the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam and then suddenly releasing the water from the dam on August 15. The affidavit, read, “The sudden releases from the Mullaperiyar dam forced us to release more water from the Idukki reservoir”. It said that this was the main cause for the flooding of Kerala.
Kerala chief secretary Tom Jose submitted in the Supreme Court, that “The water level in the reservoir had crossed 136 feet at 4 am on August 14. By 2 pm the same day, the inflow to the reservoir almost doubled and the water level reached 137 feet.”
He claimed that the Kerala government had suggested the Tamil Nadu government to maintain the water level of the dam at 139 feet and slowly start the release of water. He said they got no reassurance from TN on the issue.
The Mullaperiyar dam is located in Kerala, but it is managed by Tamil Nadu. Kerala has been demanding decommissioning of the dam for a long time.
On Thursday, a senior official in the Water Resources Ministry told to PTI that the disaster management sub-committee has been instructed to monitor the water level of the Mullaperiyar Dam and TN has been directed to maintain the water level of the reservoir 2-3 feet below the 142-feet FRL mark till August 31.
“Keeping in view that rainfall may take place as monsoon is still active, the government of Tamil Nadu was advised that the reservoir may be operated as per the directions given by the Supreme Court last week. The level can be kept 2-3 metres below the Full Reservoir Level of 142 feet.” The Official claimed.
Refuting Kerala’s allegation that sudden release of water from Mullaiperiyar dam on August 15 was the main cause of the floods, Tamil Nadu on Friday accused in turn the Kerala Government of causing the floods by sudden releases from Idukki and Idamalayar dams.
TN Government claims that only 1.24 tmc water was released from Mullaiperiyar dam on August 15 and 2.02 tmc on August 16. Around 36 tmc of water was released from Idukki and Idamalayar dams by Kerala Government between August 14 and 19, which in fact had caused floods.
Tamil Nadu said Kerala had received torrential rain since the beginning of July and rainfall recorded for Idukki as per Meteorological Centre, Thiruvananthapuram between June 1 and August 22 was of the order of 3,555.5 mm, which was almost double the normal rainfall, occurred during a period of about two-and-a-half months.
The water level in the Idukki dam on August 14 was 2,399 ft against the Full Reservoir Level of 2,403 ft and the quantity spilled was 1.634 tmc. But on August 15, the level was 2,401 ft and the quantity spilled was 13.791 tmc, which is evident from data available in KSEB website. Thus, it can be seen that Kerala suddenly increased the releases from 46.26 Mm3 on August 14 to 390.51 Mm3 on August 15. Similarly, water released from the Idamalayar dam flows into the lower part of Periyar river. The release was nil on August 14 and 15, while on August 16 it was 117.72 Mm3. This sudden release of huge quantity of the water resulted in floods.
Mullaperiyar dam was constructed by the British Colonialists in 1895. Idukki dam was designed and constructed in 1976.
Mullaperiyar dam is designed for a Possible Maximum Flood (PMF) of 2,12,000 cusecs with peak outflow of 1,43,000 cusecs, that could be passed through the spill gates,”.
Maximum Water Level (MWL) of Mullaperiyar dam is 155 ft with Full Reservoir Level (FRL) at 142 ft. Rest 13 ft is available as flood cushion.
The affidavits filed by the two states and the data contained in them is amply clear to the fact that not only sufficient cushion of 15 mts height was available to regulate and control the water levels well in time but also there was sufficient time available time to manage even the future accumulation of the same during monsoons.
On August 15, the two states, without any liaison with each other, suddenly and simultaneously released huge quantity of water that caused the floods. No one in the entire apparatus of the two states cared about the floods even during the period of release of water.
The floods in Kerala, thus are hardly a natural calamity as is widely believed, but a man made disaster, one of the biggest in recent times.
The partition of the planet earth firstly among the bourgeois national states and then states within these states, with their own sectarian and narrow agendas, mostly in conflict with each other, with no responsibility on anyone for common concerns, is chiefly responsible for the disasters. This partition, that entails the partition of the natural and human resources too, excludes any possibility of management of the resources on a progressive basis by artificially fragmenting the same. Rivers that flow through more than one country and many of the states, are impossible to be managed for common good by the nations and states having rival, conflicting and irreconcilable interests.
Natural calamities in our times are not only predictable and manageable to prevent losses to the life and property, but are preventable to a great extent.
However, the callous attitude of the bureaucratic apparatus of the bourgeois states, their leaders and officials, leaves all the achievements and conquests in science and technique, completely redundant and useless.
Unimpeachable evidence has emerged in Kerala floods to the fact that the capitalism has shaped the world keeping it divided among the vested territorial interests that often at loggerheads or completely disconnected with each other, are the chief obstacle to a progressive management of the world and its resources. The divided bourgeois states and their localised governments, cannot present a viable governance in the age of a globalised economic life.
In Kerala floods, both the governments of Kerala and Tamilnadu are guilty of a crime that has resulted in hundreds of deaths and huge devastation of property across the entire state.
No political party or the bourgeois media has highlighted this most significant aspect of the matter. Amidst the clamour of relief operations and flood aid, the bourgeois parties and opposition have consciously attempted to hide this aspect. Neither the Tamilnadu nor the Kerala Government has told the facts to their citizens or to the media. It was only during their blamegame in Supreme Court, that forced them to defend themselves against each other, that the two got exposed.
Left parties and their leaders are part of the game. As the government is Kerala is run by the Stalinist Left Front, LDF, the Stalinists were keenly interested in suppression of the facts. They used the hullabaloo for humanitarian aid and charity to cover up the undeniable crime of the government led by them in Kerala in aiding the built up of this human tragedy.
We record our appreciation for the working class of Kerala and outside of it that stood firm, active and ready to aid the flood victims. Especially the fishermen in Kerala who worked hard and selflessly in rescue operations and refused to take any grants or even compensation for their labour offered by the Government. We salute the class solidarity shown by the international working class in tragic times.
We also severely condemn the mean attempts made by the leaders of various parties of left and right to crown their aid campaigns with party banners and for turning the aid campaigns into ad campaigns, advertising themselves in the garb of humanitarian aid. Young volunteers were forced to wear the shirts engraved with names of the parties by the political bosses and party flags appeared everywhere in relief camps. These attempts to encash a tragedy and derive political mileage out of it, spea for themselves of the commitment these parties and their leaders have towards the cause of humanity.
What is being attempted to pass under ‘natural calamity’ is through and through a man made disaster for which capitalism as a whole and the bourgeois state in particular is exclusively responsible. No amount of charity campaigns would be enough to cover up the unspeakable crime of the bourgeois governments and their leaders and officials in manufacturing this disaster over time. Charity is the attempt to cover up the criminal character of capitalism and bail out its governments from their criminal deeds in producing the tragedies.
The tragedies however cannot be prevented by any charities except through a forcible overthrow of the system of capitalism, destruction of all sectarian national frontiers that keep the globe and its resources irrationally partitioned, and finally, its substitution by a socialist system based upon a world governance.
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