Thiruvananthapuram: As Kerala endures the fury of the southwest monsoon, an alarming spotlight has been cast on the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and its alleged failure in proactive dam management. With heavy rains pushing water levels dangerously close to the brim in multiple reservoirs across the state, experts warn that the current situation could escalate into a full-blown disaster if immediate corrective measures are not undertaken.
According to reports, several major dams under KSEB’s control are witnessing water levels that have surged more than three times the recommended limit, placing immense pressure on both the reservoir infrastructure and downstream river systems. Environmentalists and disaster management specialists have flagged this as a repeat of 2018, when delayed and uncoordinated dam releases during peak rainfall contributed significantly to one of Kerala’s worst floods in a century.
Despite that catastrophe serving as a painful lesson, it appears little has changed in the way dams are managed during extreme weather events. The Emergency Action Plans (EAPs)—meant to regulate water release and issue public alerts—remain either obsolete or inadequately enforced, triggering fears of a man-made flood crisis rather than a purely natural calamity.
The KSEB has come under intense scrutiny, not just for technical oversight but for its lack of transparency and public communication. While heavy rainfall is undoubtedly testing the state's infrastructure, critics argue that poor planning, inadequate monitoring systems, and delayed response mechanisms have made matters significantly worse. The lack of coordination between the electricity board, disaster management authority, and district administrations has left vulnerable communities in the dark about evacuation protocols or safety measures.
Opposition parties and civil society organizations have also raised their voices, accusing the state government of failing to create a sustainable and accountable water management strategy. “We are not dealing with an unpredictable event,” one environmental analyst said. “We have had years to prepare, and yet we are seeing the same mistakes repeat themselves—this is negligence, not fate.”
Residents living in the downstream regions of dams like Idukki, Mullaperiyar, Kakki, and Sholayar are now facing sleepless nights as rainfall continues and the risk of sudden water discharge or overflow grows. Many of these families recall the horrors of 2018 and fear being caught off-guard again. Emergency shelters have been put on standby in multiple districts, and the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has issued advisories urging people to stay away from riverbanks and landslide-prone zones.
However, field reports suggest that local bodies are still scrambling to implement preparedness protocols. In some regions, even basic alert systems such as sirens and SMS notifications remain non-functional or inconsistent, leaving communities reliant on word-of-mouth warnings and social media updates.
The situation is further complicated by the rapidly shifting climate patterns, with weather systems becoming more volatile, unpredictable, and extreme. Meteorologists have warned that Kerala is likely to experience above-average rainfall throughout the coming weeks, increasing the chances of further reservoir stress and hydrological emergencies.
As public anxiety grows, what stands exposed is the state’s fragile disaster preparedness framework, which—despite technological advances and past tragedies—still struggles to reconcile governance with science. Unless dam management in Kerala is overhauled with modern forecasting tools, transparent operational norms, and real-time public communication, the state may continue to find itself trapped in a recurring loop of avoidable disasters.
The coming days will be crucial not only for the safety of millions living in vulnerable zones but also for the credibility of Kerala’s administrative institutions. What unfolds now may well determine whether the state’s monsoon resilience is rooted in preparedness or remains buried under bureaucratic complacency.
Source: News Agencies