Due to great
deluge in River Periyar, in 1341, the ancient port town of Muziris
(Kodungallur) in Malabar Coast, which is depicted in every known map of
antiquity, disappeared suddenly and without a trace. It was presumably because
of a cataclysmic event in 1341, in the River Periyar that altered the geography
of the region. A new land mass accreted suddenly on the western coast from
Kodungallur to Alleppy. The flood water breached the land mass, between the
present Fortcochin and Vypeen, and opened up the present Cochin Estuary or ‘Kochazy’ and harbour and helped in
the formation of Vembanad Backwater. The Islands located on the northern side
of Cochin estuary is popularly known as the Vypeen Islands changed access to
the River Periyar. It was only the most spectacular of the geological changes
and land formation that have been going on in that area from time immemorial. A
geophysical survey of the region has shown that 200–300 years ago the shoreline
lay about three kilometers east of the present coast and that about 2,000 years
earlier it lay even further east, about 6.5 km inland and in those days
Trippunithura, Amballur, Kaduthuruthy, Athirampuzha, Kottayam, Changanassery
and Edathwa were tiny port towns on that stretch of coastline. If Muziris had
been situated somewhere here in Roman times, the coast at that time would have
run some 4.5 km east of its present line. The regular silting up of the river
mouth finally forced it to cease activity as a port.
During the early days low lying marshy lands in the pot bellied
area on the eastern coast at Kumbalam were ‘Uppalam,’
lands used for manufacturing salt from brine. After the monsoon, the salt water
was allowed to fill in the low lying areas situated on the eastern part of
Kumbalam. The bunds would be closed after filling with brine. The water would
evaporate in the scorching sun. In a few days time we used to get pure salt. As
per the colonial Settlement Registers, some of our ancestral wetlands,
comprised in old Sy. No. 38, 61, 68, 71, Padanna-nilam,
and old Sy. No. 91, Uppukattathara,
of Kumbalam village in Kanayannur taluk. Uppukattathara
meant that the drained land was used to store “the manufactured dry salt.”
Presently, those drained lands are situated near the house of Ousepachan Ameparampil
and Ouseph Kalassery. It was one of the sources of our ancestral income. During
the unprecedented deluge in 1341, a new delta namely Kumbalangi, which meant a
curtain or shutter to Kumbalam, was formed and its position is further west of
Aroor and Edakochi. There are some other islands beyond Kumbalangi Island
namely Kannamaly, Chellanam, Kandakadvu and Kannamaly belt blocked the brine
that used to come directly from the Arabian Sea through the water-pass between
the Aroor-Edacochi sand-bund, which was popping in and out in backwaters. That
event put an end to our ancestral salt manufacturing business.
After the deluge of 1341, lots of sand was deposited in wet lands
at Panangad and Cheppanam Islands in Kumbalam Village. Gradually, a few of the Illoms/Manas at Kumbalam and some of
their close Nair Madambis too shifted
their residence to such large drained lands at Panangad. Puthuva Illom/Mana
suffered great losses due to the floods at Alangad area near North Paravur and
they shifted their residence from Alangad and settled at Kumbalam south area.
However, floods can also bring many benefits, such as recharging
ground water, making soil more fertile and increasing nutrients in some
soils. Flood waters kills pests in the farming land. Flooding can spread
nutrients to lakes and rivers, which can lead to increased biomass and
improved fisheries for a few years.
For some fish species, an inundated flood plain may form a highly
suitable location for spawning with few predators and enhanced levels of nutrients
or food. Bird populations may also profit from the boost in food
production caused by flooding.
In the changing scenario of enhanced
population, culture and civilization it is significant for the state to focus
their attention on flood safety planning. Now people are more dependent on
electrical power and potable water supply. Floods also frequently damage power
transmission and sometimes power generation, which then has knock-on
effects caused by the loss of power. This includes loss of drinking water
treatment and water supply, which may result in loss of drinking water or
severe water contamination. It may also cause the loss of sewage disposal
facilities. Lack of clean water combined with human sewage in the flood
waters raises the risk of waterborne diseases, which can include typhoid,
cholera and many other diseases depending upon the location of the flood.
Damage to roads and transport infrastructure may make it difficult to mobilize
aid to those affected or to provide emergency health treatment. Flood waters
typically inundate farm land, making the land unworkable and preventing crops
from being planted or harvested, which can lead to shortages of food both for
humans and farm animals. Entire harvests for a country can be lost in extreme
flood circumstances. Some tree species may not survive prolonged flooding of
their root systems. Floods may cause food shortages leading to price increases
as well.
Flood forecasting and
flood warning too are important. Critical safety facilities, such as hospitals,
emergency-operations centers, and police, fire, and rescue services,
should be built in risk prone areas of flooding.
The Great flood of July 1924, or
the popularly known flood of Karkitakam
1, 1099 ME in the Malayalam Calendar, when Rivers Periyar, Meenachil,
Pampa, Muvattupuzha and others originating from Sahyadri Mountains and hills
flooded in Kerala state, South India. The rain continued for about three
weeks. Munnar received 485 mm rains. Many districts of the present day Kerala
were deeply submerged in water by this flood – from Trichur to Ernakulam; from
Idukki to Kottayam and even up to Alappuzha including Kuttanad Region
Even a huge mountain called Karinthiri Malai was washed away by this flood
and the road to Munnar also vanished along with it. As the road to Munnar was
lost by this flood, a new road from Ernakulam to Munnar became necessary. The
present day road from Ernakulam to Munnar was constructed after this event. The
road with new alignment through Adimali and Pallivasal was inaugurated by the
Regent Queen Sethu Lakshmi Bai on March 31, 1931.
Some of those who witnessed the event have noted the height of the
floods on their arboreal walls as a reminder for use of the future generations.
For instance, Raman Nambuthiri of Thalayattupally Mana at Kalady in Ernakulam
District made an inscription “Flood in Karkidakom 1, 1099 ME” in Malayalam
above the door of his arboreal wall of his illom. The inmates of
Thalayattupally Mana stayed in the attic on the first night and they shifted to
Mattur Hills (presently occupied by Sree Sankara College at Kalady) for almost
three weeks. When they returned they could not distinguish their courtyard and
veranda; mud at a height of four feet covered it. Once again the people
residing at Alangad and North Paravur suffered a lot. Mariamma Valliamma, my
favourite aunt told me, “During the flood days a canoe used to be tied on the
wooden pillar of Oli Mana/house for
my grandfather to scurry around the village to help and feed others badly affected
by flood.”
The old generation of Kerala believes that the cause of this great
flood was a major breach of the Mullaperiyar Dam. That is why the flood was so
powerful, even at Munnar, and tore apart even a mountain as big as Karinthiri.
The breach of Mullaperiyar occurred 29 years after the dam was constructed. At
that time, there was no other dam in the region and there is no other possible
reason that can be attributed for such a destructive flood.
The devastating flood claimed thousands of lives, animals and
birds, and caused severe damages to buildings, roads and other structures, and
heavy damages to crops in Kerala. Most of the areas in the erstwhile Travancore
and Cochin states and parts of Malabar region were submerged under the flood
water. In Munnar around 485 cm of rain fall was reported during the flood
and wide spread destruction occurred. Kundala Valley Railway, one of the
first narrow gauge railway lines constructed at Munnar was completely
destroyed by the flood waters. This flood is still a fearful memory with the
old generation still alive in Kerala and most of them were kids then. Also, as
a historical touch of this flood, the church-records in most ancient churches
were also damaged by this flood. So, in almost all ancient churches, the church
records start only from 1924 AD.
Yet another significant episode was the conversion of Scheduled
Castes (Pulayas) of Kumbalam Islands
to Christian faith during the deluge of July 1924. The floods lasted for about two weeks. Kuttanad and Alleppy in erstwhile
Travancore, and deltan regions of Kochi
lay submerged for days in the water that was gushing in, nature’s fury with a
vengeance. When the Islands in Kumbalam Village were submerged, the Scheduled
Caste families suffered the most; rain water flooded their dilapidated
huts. Fr. Joseph Painumkal, a Syrian Catholic priest, took the initiative and
provided them with food, clothes and shelter in the church buildings. They were
engaged for casual labour. Lured by this some of them were converted into
Christian faith.
(The above article, "THE GREAT DELUGES OF KERALA IN 1341 & 1924 AND SIGNIFICANCE OF FLOOD PLANNING" was blogged on 17-9-2017)
The relentless rains in three successive spells and the last one from August 8 to 15 meant that river water levels were increasing steadily. This however, did not affect the middle and coastal or delta regions of Kerala since this August 7 to 11 was “favourable flow time days or locally called Thakkom for fishermen from Vembanad Backwaters and other lagoons to Arabian Sea due to the strong gravitational force of Moon.”
August 11: Red alert bulletin was issued in Idukki and Ernakulam districts and the government started preparations to evacuate people residing in the high risk zones by the side of River Periyar. Rescue teams including the army, navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were engaged in rescue operations. About 17,000 people were evacuated and 23 deaths and 4 missing reported in rain related incidents.
August 12: The catchment areas of Idukki Dam received the maximum rainfall. The Union Minister Rajnath Singh along with the Chief Minister made an aerial survey of affected areas in Idukki and Ernakulam districts. He said, “Heavy rains had caused massive damage to the farm sector and infrastructure and announced Rs. 100 crore immediate reliefs to the state.” The death toll rose to 39.
August 14: Wayanad district was isolated due to a landslide in Thamarassery pass. Munnar town in Idukki was inundated. Landslides were reported from Kottiyoor, Kannur and half a dozen places in Kozhikode. As rainfall steeply increased, the inflow of water to reservoirs also increased, swelling their storage levels. The reservoirs in the state were filled to the brim. Red alert bulletins were issued by government. Following the opening of shutters of Malampuzha Dam and all other dams in the district, residential areas in Palakkad town were submerged in flood water. The closed shutters of Idukki dam opened, discharging six lakh litres of water per second and the people living on the banks of River Periyar were in panic. This was coupled with the announcement of low pressure developed in the Gulf of Bengal, and IMD forecast and warning of heavy rain. There were also reports of Mullaperiyar Dam brimming, which unnerved people at Pathanamthitta, Alleppy and Kottayam districts.
August 15: The Chief Minister of Kerala calls of “Onam state festival.” The relentless rains over the past two months led to a chain of events which resulted in the floods. All the 84 dams opened to discharge floodwater. Most areas of Kerala especially hilly regions were hard hit by floods, displacing thousands of people from their homes and disrupting their lives. The death toll increased to 87, and hundreds of people including women, children and the aged were feared to have been trapped on the terraces of houses, atop tall buildings and marooned in churches. The situation was worsening day by day in several places. Most of the rivers turned into raging torrents sweeping across farmlands and settlements, bridges, and roads. Buildings boundary walls and embankments were washed away at several places. River Periyar overflowed; inundating and submerging its banks. Muvattupuzha, Aluva, Alangad and North Paravur were submerged in flood water. CIAL airport at Kochi got flooded and has been closed till August 26. Kochi Metro also stopped for a few days. Train services from the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, were disrupted and all services suspended. More than 80,000 people were lodged in relief camps. The extent of damage to crops and properties reported was more than Rs. 8000 crores. 52 teams of the army, navy and airforce, coast guard and NDRF were engaged for rescue and relief operations and 2,182 people were rescued and 968 were evacuated by NDRF. The armed forces did a wonderful job in Kuttanad Region and Chengannur in Alleppy district, and Chalakudy in Thrissur district, where rising flood waters inundated thousands of houses, forcing a mass evacuation. The Army deployed bigger boats, while 22 helicopters and 119 boats of the Navy and Coast Guard were also involved. A total of 58,506 people were rescued from different locations. Hindu daily News reported, “A dare devil pilot made a tight rope walk to rescue a chair-bound woman from Aluva-Chalakudy stretch.” More forces were reported reaching Kerala to meet the immediate requirement.
The fishermen from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alleppy, Kochi and Kannur and other places, who are deft swimmers, volunteered and came with their boats and outboard engines and did a commendable job of rescuing and bringing stranded people from remote hilly regions of Pathanamthitta district to relief camps; battling strong river currents and heavy rains. The state police, NCC (National Cadet Corps) and other social organizations too got involved in the herculean task of rescuing and lodging them in relief centers. The kind of cooperation among people was amazing. People from all walks of life; forgot their differences helped rescue and relief operations. The members of political parties, inspite of their differences in ideology, the colour of their flags and manifesto, worked in unison to help the hapless victims of this disaster. People forgot their religion, caste and community and dutifully engaged in rescue and relief operations.
The social media too worked 24x7 updating the news and also attended telephone calls from stranded victims, who were anxious for their lives and far from their near relations, some of them who are abroad too. They communicated this information and their laments to the monitoring centres attached to the civil stations.
August 17: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, arrived at Southern Naval Command Base in Kochi to assess the flood situation personally. He held discussions with the Chief Minister, Union Minister of State K.J. Alphons Kannanthanam and high officials and had conducted an aerial survey in the nearby worst-hit places in Aluva and Thrissur but the weather was bad to give a clear vision. However, he announced an interim relief of Rs. 500 crores aid against the state of Kerala’s demand of Rs. 2,000 crores. This was in addition to Rs. 100 crores announced earlier. Complimenting the State authorities for their efforts in the adverse situation, Mr. Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh per person to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those seriously injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). The Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, informed Mr. Modi that preliminary estimates had pegged Kerala's losses due to the floods at Rs. 19,512 crores. The real extent of the loss would only be known after the flood waters receded, he said. “Since May 29, when the monsoon lashed over Kerala, a total of 357 people have lost their lives. Crops over 40,000 hectares have been lost and over 26,000 houses suffered total or partial damage. The state has nearly 3, 53,000 people sheltered in 3,026 relief camps right now. There has been loss of livestock too, with 46,000 cattle and over two lakh poultry estimated to have perished in the floods. Public Works Department (PWD) roads along 16,000 km and local roads along 82,000 km besides 134 bridges suffered severe damage. While damage to the roads is estimated to have made the State poorer by Rs. 13,000, loss of bridges costs another Rs. 800 crore,” Mr. Vijayan is said to have told the Prime Minister.
He also requested immediate allocation of 20 more helicopters and 600 motor boats and a reinforcement of the NDRF with 40 more teams, four Army engineer task forces and 10 more Navy teams.
Mr. Modi asked insurance companies to hold special camps for assessment and timely release of compensation to the affected families and beneficiaries under the social security schemes. Directions have also been issued for early clearance of claims under Fasal Bima Yojana to agriculturists, the Prime Minister's Office said.
Mr. Modi asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to repair main damaged national highways on priority. The central public sector units such as the NTPC and PGCIL have been directed to render all possible assistance to the state government in restoring power lines. Villagers, whose unflustered (kutcha) houses have been destroyed, would be provided Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) houses on priority irrespective of their priority in the Permanent Wait List of the PMAY-G.
Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Rs. 5.5 cr. person days have been sanctioned in the labour budget for 2018-19. Further request for incurring the person days would be considered as per the requirement projected by the State. Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, farmers would be provided assistance to re-plant damaged horticulture crops.
The flood situation was alarming in low lying areas of both Ernakulam and Alleppy districts. There were news reports, “580 fuel stations were submerged in flood waters.” The low lying areas by the side of Kole or lagoon paddy fields in Kodungallur belt in Thrissur district too were submerged under flood water.It is estimated that CIAL (airport) lost around Rs. 230 crores in the floods and air-traffic will resume on August 26 as scheduled.
August 18: Red alert withdrawn in many districts but situation was fluid in Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Alleppy districts. Rain forecast by IMD for these districts too is bad. However rescue operations were in full swing. Defted helicopter pilots nose-dived to pull-up stranded people from terraces in remote places in Chengannur. Four more bodies recovered in Pandanad near Chengannur, three bodies in Muringoor and seven bodies elsewhere traced and removed to mortuaries. The flood death toll rose to 196. The number of relief camps increased to 3,446; people in relief camps rose to 6, 61,887 belonging to 1, 69,935 families. Most of these camps face shortage of medicine, and sanitary napkins.
The adage, “water water everywhere but not a drop to drink” became a reality in relief camps. Drinking water, medicines, provisions, ready to eat food and clothes came from neighbouring states and from northern states by rail, ships and aircrafts. There were enough materials at many collection centres but they was lack of transport facilities.
August 19: Flood water receded across Kerala and situation has improved. Now the focus has to be shifted to relief work. But flood water has not drained in certain low lying pockets like Kuttanad region, Chengannur and Tiruvalla in Alleppy district and North Paravur area in Ernakulam district. The popular Chennamangalam Handloom Industry lost all their weaving-looms, raw materials and sarees, their finished products, and their livelihood. A young man, who got a job, found his certificates smudged and indecipherable; the sudden depression made him commit suicide. A few died of heart-attack on the scene of devastation when they realized that they lost their houses and all their belongings in flash floods. All that is left with some of the victims are the clothes they were wearing; a heart-breaking scene. Death toll increased to 209. The number of people in relief camps rose to 7, 24,849, housed in 5,645 camps. There has been immense damage to infrastructure, especially roads. Rain became intermittent in many areas. Rescue efforts started winding down and the focus shifted to relief operations and rehabilitation. The immediate concern is preventing possible epidemics and water-borne diseases like leptospirosis and those related to respiratory tract. All the waste from flood hit areas is to be removed. Poisonous snakes have become a menace in flood affected areas. They are found in most flood affected houses. Scared by torrents most of these reptiles have climbed up and huddled on tree tops. A number of carcasses are floating on water bodies; these need to be buried to avoid further pollution. Health and hygiene cannot be compromised at any cost. The government also decided to provide text books and uniforms to students of flood hit areas. The state of Telangana, through its home minister, handed over a cheque for Rs. 25 crores to the chief minister’s relief fund and their chief minister has offered a donation of his one month’s salary too to the said fund and water purifying machineries worth 2.5 crores; a generous gesture of solidarity. IAS officers of Andhra have donated their one month’s salary to our state.
August 20: A UN official with their vast experience in handling calamities has come forward to help the state to assess the damages. As flood water drained and rains let off across the state, 10, 28, 073 persons are in 3,274 relief camps or rendered homeless, struggling to bring back a semblance of normalcy to their lives. Those who are returning to what was left of their homes faced an uphill task of first cleaning the surroundings. They found mud and slush at a height of 60 cm in some of the houses. Most wells are also contaminated. The state government sent out an SOS for more supplies of disinfectants and bleaching powder. The central government classified the floods as a “calamity of severe nature.” Rescue operations continue by the army in Pandanad in Chengannur area, where hundreds remained stranded. The army used drones to reach out to people trapped in remote areas that are not easily accessible. 8 more bodies were found in North Paravur area and the death toll rose to 228. Kerala Water Authority and Kerala State Electricity Board are trying to restore water and power supply in many areas that have been without power and potable water for the last several days. Banks and other financial institutions announced moratorium for agricultural loans for a year availed by people in the flood-hit areas. The deluge has literally broke down all religious barriers; with two Sunni Muslim youth groups cleaning two flood-hit temples, one situated at Kolpuzha in Wayanad and Ayyappa temple in Mannarkad.
August 21: The Chief Secretary to the Government of Kerala has asked all the secretaries of various departments to make their endeavour to assess the damages/losses caused from May 29 to August 21 in order to submit a detailed proposal to the Central Government to seek a 2000 crore special package for reconstruction of infrastructure. Another proposal is to ask the Central Government to impose 10% cess on GST so that it will fetch additional funds for the state. The government has decided to start a lottery to mobilize funds for reconstruction of the state and to help those who have lost their house property, crops and livelihood. NABARD also could afford long term assistance in setting up infrastructural support in agriculture, irrigation and social sector. Another solidarity gesture reported in the news, “UAE offered Rs. 700 crores to rebuild Kerala,” Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander Sheikh Mohammad Bin Syed Al Nahyan has communicated this to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram and thanked the timely gesture.
“August 21 to 25 are favourable flow time days or Thakkom from Vembanad Backwaters and other backwaters/lagoons to the Arabian Sea due to the strong gravitational force of Moon. Therefore, during this period, discharge of some more water could be made from the dams without causing damage, loss or inconvenience to people residing near river banks. The intermittent monsoon rains would continue till mid-November bringing about further water accumulation in the reservoirs.” I sincerely hope wisdom will dawn on the government officials about acting more cautiously and prudently in the matter.
A special session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly was convened on August 30 to discuss flood related issues and to take steps for reconstruction. The Chief Secretary to State of Kerala submitted his report on recent flood related issues to the Chief Minister of Kerala. He reported, “About 55 lakh people from 981 villages were affected; the overall death toll is 483; missing people 14; seriously injured 140; 14, 50,707 people from 3, 91, 494 families were shifted to 3,879 relief camps; 305 reilef camps still functioning with 59,296 people from 16,763 families; the loss of agricultural land is 57, 000 hectares; 7,443 people from armed forces, 40,000 police and 3, 200 fire and rescue force personnel were involved.” The Chief Minister asked the Central Government for a special package and is expecting a substantial aid from the Central government to rebuild Kerala.
Please ensure, “Reconstruction and development should not violate the Rules of Mother Nature.”
Please help the state of Kerala liberally in time of need to rebuild it. The donation portal is given below: -
Donation Portal : Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF)
Donation Portal : Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF)
https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/
Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) is an emergency assistance ... Stand With Kerala Kerala Flood Relief ... For International Banking kindly select the payment gateway appropriately UPI ID/QR ... A/c Number : 0721053000002584
Excerpts from
NEED OF THE HOUR
By
Joseph J. Thayamkeril,
Lawyer, Cochin
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril.google.com
COMMENTS
COMMENTS
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Fri, Aug 17, 9:43 PM
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Hey,
Sunday, 17 September 2017,THE GREAT DELUGES OF 1341 AND 1924 AND SIGNIFICANCE OF FLOOD PLANNING athttp://josephjthayamkeril.
Right now I am writing to you about one Ouseph Kalassery, whose name is mentioned in your above article. While he bears the same family name, I have no clue whether he is one in our family or not. Will you be able to share with me some more information that you may have about him ? Many thanks.
I read your blog and particularly the article that you published about the flood in Muziris port on 1341. Its very interesting. It seems that you have done a lot of research in writing your articles.
Keep up the good work!
Regards,
Jiss Palelil
Your blog on Flood Planning
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Dear Mr Joseph,
Recently, while reading through many articles about floods due to the likely havoc by the Idukki dam water, I came across your article also.
Sunday, 17 September 2017,THE GREAT DELUGES OF 1341 AND 1924 AND SIGNIFICANCE OF FLOOD PLANNING athttp://josephjthayamkeril.
Not only is the article well written and informative, but the fact that you had written it about a year ago points to the fact that, like you, many of the people who should have known this, were also aware of the importance of flood planning. However, as usual, nobody did anything about it, and here we are.
Best regards,
James Kalassery
appreciation on your article on FLOOD
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Sun, Jul 22, 8:41 PM
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josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com
Sundareswaran M.K, Kizhakeputhen Madom, Monkompu
To Sri. JOSEPH J. THAYAMKERIL
Sir,
Your write-up “ THE GREAT DELUGES OF 1341 AND 1924 AND SIGNIFICANCE OF FLOOD PLANNING” was a very revealing and researched one. Thank you for posting it.
Most of us have had only hearsay knowledge about the devastating floods of 1099. I have seen couple of photos also about its affliction created at Monkompu. If you have any photos of this flood, I shall be very much obliged if you can send it to my mail as a reply.
Once again I thank you for your well researched article.
Yours Sincerely, Sundareswaran.M.K
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