History of Block Panchayat
History of the Block Panchayat
When you hear the word "Idukki," what comes to mind are the Kuravan and Kurathi hills standing face-to-face and the Arch Dam that connects them. Situated 3,000 feet above sea level, the Idukki Reservoir stands like a mini-ocean. The Idukki Hydroelectric Project commissioned and dedicated to the nation on February 12, 1976, by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi cannot be viewed without immense respect, as it continuously provides wind, light, and the power to run massive machinery for thousands of homes and establishments across Kerala.
Turning back the pages of history leads to the conclusion that the native inhabitants here belong to a lineage of local rulers who migrated from Tamil Nadu. Several ancient artifacts have been recovered from various regions here.
From 1950 onwards, Idukki has been a land drenched in the tears of migration, eviction, poverty, and hardships. Although there are not many series of events that exerted a decisive influence on Kerala's socio-cultural domain, the cries of a people who were mercilessly evicted for the Idukki project—without respecting the labor and dignity of the unorganized and helpless migrant farmers—still echo in the air. Looking at it this way, it is a reality that the first and second generations here bear the inner pain of a community denied social justice in the name of development. The fact that the people here sacrificed their savings and hard labor for public social development projects must be viewed as no small act of self-dedication.
