Whatever the learned judges may say in the matter, nobody in Kerala will believe that the dilapidated old Mullaperiyar dam is safe and that lakhs of people living below the dam area are safe.

It does not need much wisdom otherwise that the 116-year-old dam requires a replacement, whatever the technicalities standing against it.

No one in his senses would dare to declare that this worn- out dam is structurally and hydrologically safe.

You may have chosen one Thatte and another Mehta as technical members, on whose analysis, you have made the report saying the God-forsaken dam is structurally and hydrologically safe.

That means something is wrong with all those lakhs of people crying foul and demanding a dam, simply to see that the lives of 40 lakh people would be safe, if the learned judges are to be believed.

It seems the learned judges in the empowered committee themselves have become redundant, and that they did not care a hoot about the lives of the lakhs of people living below the weakened dam.

In 1979 itself, the Central Water Commission had wanted a new dam to be constructed. It is true, Kerala had not grabbed that occasion. Instead, it went in for stop-gap arrangements in the name of repair.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister the late Minister M.G.Ramachandran, who was the mentor of the present Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa, had agreed to the construction of a new dam.

It is really shocking, how a few retired judges could play with the lives of 40 lakh people living below the Mullaperiyar dam.

It does not require any judge to say that there should be a replacement for the 116-year-old dam. Any common man can confidently say that. We have wasted crores of rupees on the study by the empowered committee.

Key words: Mullaperiyar dam safety, no one will believe report of judges, technical knowhow lacking