Southern States - Kerala   

Tamil Nadu promise not sufficient for Chittur crop

By G. Prabhakaran

PALAKKAD DEC. 10. The 1.5 tmc of water the Tamil Nadu Government promised to release from the inter-State Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) for the standing second crop in the Chittur Puzha project area will be insufficient to irrigate paddy in 16,000 hectares.

At least 3.3 tmc of water is needed for the crop by February 15, according to sources in the Water Resources Department.

The sources said the water would last only up to the first week of January. If the crop goes without water the loss would be Rs.50 crores.

Tamil Nadu's promise is a ``trap'' to rob the State of its "unrecoverable backlog" of 4.75 tmc water for the year ending in June 2004. Tamil Nadu had not supplied one tmc during last year.

Every year, Kerala should get 7.25 tmc from the PAP for Chittur Puzha.

But it has got only 2 tmc so far and even if the promised quantity materialises, there would be a balance of 4.75 tmc.

During the next year, it may not be possible for Tamil Nadu to give the annual quantity of 7.25 tmc plus the backlog of 4.75 tmc to Kerala.

Tamil Nadu stopped water from December 1 resulting in crop withering in the tail ends of the project.

The Water Resources Department describes it as a lapse on the part of Tamil Nadu.

When water is released again, a sizeable quantity would be used by the already dried-up tail-end areas.

The Irrigation Division, Chittur, had already asked Tamil Nadu to provide 3.3 tmc for Chittur Puzha till February 15. The Executive Engineer, Chittur Puzha, had written to the Tamil Nadu that at least 700 mcft of water is required in the first fortnight and an equal quantity in the second fortnight of December.

He had also sought 700 mcft of water in the first fortnight of January and an equal quantity in the second fortnight and another 500 mcft for the first fortnight of February.

But the Tamil Nadu Irrigation Minister had promised to give only 1.5 tmc of water as against the requirement of 3.3 tmc.

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