Mullaperiyar .Why a new dam ?

The present dam in Mullaperiyar was was constructed during the period 1882-1895,at a cost of about Rs 1 Crore.The dam is 366 Metres long,54 Metres high and is at a height of about 882 metres above sealevel.It's full capacity is nearly 45 million cubic metres of water.
The dam is construted by using lime and Surky ( a combination of sugar and lime.).Such a structure can expect a lifespan of only 50-60 years.i.e .the dam has gone beyond this deadline years back.The dam now is in a seismically active zone and it can not withstand an earthquake above 6.0 in the Richter Scale.
Water from rhe dam is diverted with a tunnel to join the Vaigai river and is used by TN for irrigation of vast areas of land in the 5 districts in the Madurai ,Sivaganga,and Ramanathapuram regions.TN generates electricity also from the diverted water.
As the population around the Periyar region increased by the Keralite encroachers the adverse effects became much pronounced.Earthquakes became frequent and people felt insecure.The Kerala govt asked the CESS to study about this and submit a report.Following the report submitted by the CESS,the TN govt lowered the height of the water level from 142.2 FT to 136 Ft.
The present population in the 5 downstream districts of the dam in Kerala is around 40 lakhs.A quake of high intensity can affect the Idukki reservoir too.
Ultimately if some mishap occurs thre, it will lead to an accute shortage of water in the neighbouring districts of TN for a long time.It will perish the economy of Kerala also due to the floods .
So it is in the interest of both TN and Kerala to prepare for a new dam there.But the Kerala Govt should take care to see that the new dam should add to the resources (income ) of the state .The old terms with TN should be revised in that way.
Sqeezing the people of Kerala with huge hikes in water charges and giving millions of Cubic metres of water to TN at throwaway prices is detrimental to the future economy of our state
UNITED WE STAND,DIVIDED WE FALL.

THE MACAU ISLANDS

The name has stolen the title of many newsreports recently,following the allegations against Mr V A Arunkumar,son of the former Kerala CM Mr.V S Achuthanandan. He is alleged to have visited the place on several occasions.It is good for the Keralites to know something about ths place.

        Macau,also spelt Macao is one of the 2 Special Administrative Regions(SAR )of the People’s Republic of China,the other region being Hongkong.

     Macau was a Portuguese colony and was the first and last Europian colony in China.The Portuguese settled in the Island nation during the 16^th century AD and administered the region till  20^th December,1999. On that  day it was handed over to PRC (People’s Republic of China )as per a joint declaration accepting a One Country,Two Systems policy.(Just like HongKong.)

      Macau has an area of just 30 Square Km and had a population of 5.5 lakhs in 2010. 95 % of the population are Chinese,and the rest are Portuguese and other ethnic groups.It is the most thickly populated region in the world ( 18428 /Sq Km )

     The region has the second highest life expectancy in the world.     The Currency is Pataca.1 pataca =0.98 HonKong dollar.The territory’s economy is largely dependent on Gambling and Tourism and to some extent on textile exports.

The special economic status promised will be in force till 20^th December 2049 ( valid for 50 years )

Punnapra Vayalar revolt and the later life of Sri CP Ramaswami Iyer

Punnapra Vayalar revolt and the later years of Sri.C P Ramaswami Iyer

In 1946 the rebels who wanted to oust the then Diwan Sri CP R Iyer from his post established a Government of their own at Vayalar village and declared independence from Travancore.Sir CP responded by declaring martial law on Oct.25^th.The rebels attacked the Police with country spears and killed a fewpolicemen.The police retaliated by shooting at the rebels

The rebellion was quelled on Oct 27^th by the army with over 1000 casualtie son both sides.

       On June 3^rd ,the  UK  accepted   the demand  for partition of  India,and the king  issued a declaration of  Independence  on June 18 1947.Later negotiations between the National level leaders and the Travancore rulers led to a Virtual agreement for accession to the Indian Union.

  On July 25 1947.Sri C P  was attending a music concert in the capital ,commemorating the anniversary of Swathi Thirunal.An assassination attempt was made on him by KCS Mony who was hand picked by the socalled  Leftists and  the Diwan sustained  injuries on his nose.Following  this  he  resigned as the DIwan of Travancore.

Later life of Sri C P R

After he resigned from the Diwan’s post he left for London.In 1948,he returned the titles he received from England.In the same year he visited Brazil,Argentina,Peru and Mexico as a tourist.He also visited the U S  where he gave talks at the University of California,Berkely,and had dinner with the then U S President  Harry S Truman. In 1949-50 he visited the  U S again.In 1952 he visited Australia and Newzealand  as a guest.

During 1950-60 he served as Vice Chancellor of both Annamalai and Benares universities simultaneously thus becoming the first Indian to do so.

      In 1953 he was made a member of the Press Commission of  India. In 1955 he toured China as the leader of an Indian University delegation.He was made a member of the UGC in 1955.

His death

  Sri CP Ramaswami Iyer left for England in 1966.There he started a research intended for writing a book he had planned  with the title A HISTORY OF MY TIME.On September 26 ,1966 ,he breathed his last during his work there.

Thus we really lost the services of a great  personality and got the services of” murderers “ and “ Tailors  to lead this state.

Here we get  a Fool who  is hunting after  opponents  in the name of corruption and Penn vanibham,at the same time keeping  silent on the people in his own party .Let them stitch the numerous holes in their party before stitching 2 holes on the political opponents.

Remembering KCS Mony

Today's news about MrV R Krishna Iyer publicly appreciating the criminal act of  kcs moni and exhorting the citizens to emulate kcs mony is quite disturbing.As a former SC Judje he should not have resorted to such a call promoting criminalisation of politics.Sri Cp Ramaswami Iyer has not killed  any communists personally.Ideological differences should be fought only by mobilising public opinion and not by attacking an individual cowardly in the cover of darkness.I would like to know the reaction of Mr VRKrishna Iyer his response about the massacre in the TiananmenSquare in the Great China.What about the killing of the agitating farmers in Nandigram and Singur in West Bengal.What about the Kinaloor incident in Kerala.Would you have welcomed such a response from the people by assaulting the then chief minister? 

The New Government in Kerala-2011-2016-How should it work?

Kerala has completed the polling process and they have elected their representatives who should dicide our destiny for the next 5 years.On the 13th of May the electronic voting machines will show our preferences .
      I write this without any prejudices or preferences regarding the choices made by the enlightened voters of this State.But I do feel that much of what can be and should be done depends on the attitude of the elected representatives on whom we have reposed our faith.
   Whatever parties that come to power have to seriously decide on the major programmes to be initiated and implemented on a priority basis . This should be done by each Ministry by setting up an expert committee that should formulate the programmes .the draft of this should be put on the internet .the public should be given a chance to give suggestions  which also should be considered while finalising the action plan.
   No major decisions should be taken by the ministers without going through the expert committee route and public participation through the internet.
     Implementation shold be taken up on a quarterly basis and proper review should be done regarding the timely progresss of the projects under implementation.this will avoid the cumulation of the works during March and the subsequent inferior quality and widespread corruption.
     All appointments to the institutions run with salary payments by the state exchequor should be done through the PSC only.Members of the personal staff of the ministers also should be from the state govt service.This will eliminate the entry of partymen into govt service through the personal staff route.
   Appointment to the Universities also should be through the PSC.
There should be periodic ( half yearly ) evaluation of the working of the ministers by the public by internet voting .The results of such evaluation should be available to the public to see.
      The new govt should take urgent steps to ban all lotteries including the Kerala state lotteries.
Those rendered jobless should be paid through the MNREGA by involving them in the developmental activities in the agricultural sector.This will help in increasing the purchasing power of the poor together with rich contribution of the human labour in the nation building process.
 Food subsidies should be given only in a graded manner.Those in the BPL group should be given 10 kg pm free of cost.Those in the APL ( upto Rs 15000 pm ) should be given 15 Kg  pm  at Rs 3.Others ( upto Rs 25000 pm )should be given it at RS 10 per Kg.
     Government should take very urgent steps to legalise the contract farming system to enable those who have a genuine aptitude in agriculture to get the required land on lease from the land owners.This will result in the use of lakhs of Hectares of  barren land for cultivation of vegetables ,flowers and fruits as also grass for cattles.
 IF THERE IS A WILL THERE IS a WAY 

SIR CP RAMASWAMY IYER’S BIG CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GROWTH OF KERALA

Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer, Dewan of the erstwhile Travancore has come in for criticism from several quarters for their own valid reasons.

This great son of India has contributed immensely towards the industrial development of the State of Kerala through his initiatives and untiring efforts. An unprejudiced view of his role in shaping the fortunes of Kerala would be timely and in right spirit.

Sri Chetpet Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer was born in Chetpet Chennai on13th November,1879. After passing his degree with a gold medal and law degree from the Madras Law College with Distinction he practiced for a while as a lawyer.

Ø      He was appointed as the Advocate General of the Madras Presidency. (1920-1923).

Ø      He served as the Law member of the executive council of the Governor and the Viceroy of India (1923-1936).

Ø      In 1931 when Sri Chithira Thirunal was crowned the Maharajah of Travancore CPR was appointed the legal and constitutional adviser.

Ø      In 1936 the king appointed him as the Dewan which post he occupied till the assassination attempt on his life in 1947.

Ø      As a member of the executive council in Madras he laid the foundation stone for the PYKARA DAM, in 1929 and completed the work. This has helped the rapid industrialization of Coimbatore.

Ø      He started the construction of the Mettur dam which helped to irrigate vast areas in the Thajavur and Trichy districts.

Ø      During the same period itself he helped to improve the Cochin, Visakhapattanam and Tuticorin ports.

After he became the Dewan of TRAVANCORE, CP Ramaswamy Iyer,  though a Tamilian by birth worked devotedly for the all-round progress of this state.

Ø      He was instrumental in bringing forward several reforms with far reaching consequences.

Ø      Temple Entry Proclamation Decree giving Dalit Hindus also the right for free worship in all temples.

Ø      Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project across the Periyar River, against the fierce objection by the Madras state.

Ø      CP Ramaswami Iyer himself argued the case for Kerala and won the case.

Ø      Pechipara dam which helped to irrigate the extensive areas in the Kanyakumari district which was the RICEBOWL of Kerala in those days (we had to give possession of these to Tamilnadu in exchange for the Palakkad area.)

Ø      To utilize the power generated from the dams he started the Indian Aluminium Company, at Eloor and Kundara, Travancore Rayons, Travancore Titanium Products, Travancore Cements Kottayam.

Ø      His most glorious achievement is the establishment of FACT at Eloor with American collaboration in open defiance of the hostility of the Viceroy.

Ø      In 1937 he started the University of Travancore with the Maharajah as the Chancellor and Sir CP as the Vice Chancellor.

Ø      In 1940.the road transport was nationalized.

Ø      In the same year the FIRST CEMENT HIGHWAY OF INDIA was constructed from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari covering a distance of 88 Km.

Ø      Smt Anna Chandy was appointed as the first woman Disrict Judge. (She later became the first Woman High court Judge.).

Ø      The much talked about Mid-day meal scheme was also introduced in the label of the Vanchi Poor Fund to prompt poor students to attend school.

On July 25, 1947, an attempt was made on his life during a music concert commemorating Swati Tirunal .Following this he resigned his position as the Dewan of Travancore and left the state for good.

Afterwards he occupied several coveted positions like the following, Member of the University Grants Commission, Vice Chancellor of Annamalai and Benaras Universities simultaneously the first Indian to do so, Member of the Press Commission of India.

At the invitation of the host countries he has visited and given lectures to elite audience in US, China, Brazil ,Australia, New Zealand ,Peru.

During all these years we Keralites have been honouring the persons who tried to kill him. 

Let us at least once appreciate in public the good work done by this great Indian for the development of our state.