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Kollam: British bungalow surfaces in dam reservoir

Glass house was last visible in 2013 when water level was 82 metres.

Kollam: A British bungalow or the ‘sayippan bungalow' buried under water in the reservoir of Thenmala dam has surfaced with the water level coming down owing to lack of rains.

It had earlier surfaced in 2013, the first time in thirty years after the construction of the dam that made the water to inundate the structure entirely.

The bungalow turning visible over the water in the reservoir is an indicator of the alarming rate of decrease in the quantity of water in the dam.

The catchment area received very less rainfall this year, coming down to just near 88 metres from a total capacity of 116.73.

The top portion of the bungalow in the reservoir is now visible over the water, which was completely visible when the water level became 82 meters in 2013. The bungalow is inside the reservoir about three kilometres from the dam in Thenmala, deep inside the forest.

The building was constructed by British industrialist T.J. Cameroon in 1887. Word has it that the building was intended to facilitate the collection of reed from the surrounding forests, the raw material for Travancore Paper Mill started at Punalur which was later known as the Punalur Paper Mills.

The building was constructed with the permission of the then king of Travancore, Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma. The building was situated alongside the British Road to Shenkottai, which was then part of Travancore kingdom.

The road also disappeared in water with the construction of the dam.

Residents also call it ‘Kannadi Bungalow’ or ‘glass bungalow’, due to its large glass window panes. It has no considerable dilapidation even after three decades under the water.

It was inundated by water by the time when the Parappar dam or Thenmala dam across the Kallada river was commissioned in 1984.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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