Church in Kerala to Observe Mulla Periyar Day

November 29, 2011: 3.5 million people of Southern India’s Kerala state are facing impending danger to their lives and property due to high-risk structure of a 116 year old dam in the river called Periyar. To highlight the plight of the people and to express solidarity with them the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) Executive Committee has decided to observe December 4th Sunday as “Mulla Periyar Day”.

KCBC has requested the parishes and church institutions to offer special prayers during the Eucharistic Celebrations for peaceful and immediate solution to the issue. Religious congregations, parishes, Sunday schools, lay organisations, social service departments and other educational institutions have been urged to observe Mulla Periyar Day with candle processions or other symbolic gestures to express concern and solidarity.

KCBC President Archbishop Andrews Thazhath has already sent a letter to Indian Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh, UPA Chairperson and Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and to some important central ministers expressing serious anxiety and concern about the issue.

The KCBC has demanded urgent and Immediate intervention of the Prime Minster and Central Government to ensure security to the life and property of the 3.5 million people, who lives in the banks of the river Periyar. It also requested to take urgent measures to bring down the water storage level in the Mulla Periyar reservoir to 120 feet.

The KCBC has also requested the Central Government to persuade Tamil Nadu to accept the proposal of Kerala State Government to construct a new dam downstream of the present dam without in any way affecting the quantum of water supplied to Tamil Nadu. The has asked the central government to mediate the dispute to find out a proper and peaceful lasting solution to the Mulla Periyar dam problem without breaking the relationship and brotherhood of the people of both States.