THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Madam, please cooperate with us. Yours faithfully, Rahul R, 8 C, Abraham Memorial Higher Secondary School, Thirumala,” the solemn words were scribbled on a post card, held by a teenager, clad in a black and white uniform at Martyr’s Column, Palayam. The card was addressed to Selvi J Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Rahul was not alone. Over 500 students from various city schools were gathered with post cards, which echoed the sentiment. The Desiya Balatharangam had organised a programme to urge the Tamil Nadu Government to allow the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar and thereby avert a calamity. The other side of the postcard had written a mathematic formula, with words replacing the usual variables, x and y; Water for Tamil Nadu + Safety for Kerala = New Dam.“I know that the dam is very old and in danger. If any calamity happens, thousands of lives will be in peril,” said Rahul, when asked if he understood the gravity of the issue. His classmates Gokul G P and Arun R too echoed the thought. Students from various schools, including St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Mannom Memorial HSS, SMV HSS, Cotton Hill Government GHSS, Lourde Mount HSS, Vattappara, Pattom GHSS and Thirumala AMHS took part in the campaign. The students also mailed the cards from a nearby post office. Actor Suresh Gopi, who inaugurated the programme, was careful with his words. He exhorted the students to approach, not just the Mullaperiyar issue, but all issues in life in a controlled and well-studied manner and also abstain from rationalistic sentiments. “We should not allow emotions to dictate our actions which might lead to violence,” he said, pointing out the incidents of violence that were being reported at the regions surrounding Mullaperiyar dam. He said it was time to look beyond politicians to take up our issues. What the people of our state needs is strong popular movements. But unfortunately, popular agitations in the state have always lacked vigour, alleged the actor.Desiya Balatharangam chairman T Sarath Chandraprasad and Lalit Kala Akademy vice-chairman Kattoor Narayana Pillai also attended the event.
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