Is it possible to make a dam and a powerhouse in front of a house? Arunkumar Purushothaman, a resident of Nariyampara in Idukki, is creating waves with a miniature model of the Idukki dam, the State’s biggest hydroelectric project. A nursing officer by profession, Mr. Purushothaman, has set up the model of the dam and the underground powerhouse of Moolamattom in Idukki in front of his residence near Kattappana.
The Idukki dam provides the largest share of electricity in the State. “Most people are unaware of the functioning of the dam and the powerhouse. As a nursing officer at the Government Medical College in Idukki which is close to the Idukki and Cheruthoni reservoirs, I see the dams every day,” said Mr. Purushothaman.
“As a nursing officer, I was assigned for medical duty on the occasion of the opening of the Cheruthoni reservoir. The occasion also provided details on how to operate the shutters of the dam,” he said.
“In the miniature model, the Idukki and the Cheruthoni dams are designed as a joint structure. The five shutters of the Cheruthoni dam are also depicted in the model. The shutters are operated electronically to follow the rule curve. The miniature dam was made in six months,” said Mr. Purushothaman.
The model of the Moolamattom power plant is set up near the dam. “Water flows from the dam through Penstock pipes and flows through a turbine and generates electricity. The model power plant can generate 1.5 V of power,” he said.
The models are made of cement, wood, and waterproof paste and provide further details of the original dam and the powerhouse.
Mr. Purushothaman maintains that his true passion was engineering, but he had to move to the nursing field due to certain reasons. “Crafting miniature structures is a hobby of mine. I have previously created models of autorickshaw and jeep. The models were made without any support from others,” he added.
