The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Another row over `water diversion by Kerala'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 11, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Another row over `water diversion by Kerala'

By V.S. Palaniappan

COIMBATORE, JUNE 10. The dispute over sharing water between Tamil Nadu and Kerala has come to the fore again following alleged diversion of a wild stream near Alandurai in Western Ghats by Kerala officials on Tuesday.

According to information reaching authorities here, a team led by Palakkad Collector, Sanjeev Kaushik, visited the disputed "Kalkothivaikkal" stream at Periyattumala. It is a source for the Malampuzha reservoir (in Kerala) and in the last two years the inflow has come down drastically "because of diversion in the water course by Tamil Nadu ryots", Palakkad farmers allege. The stream, known as Onnampuzha, took care of paddy cultivation on over 50,000 acres, they said. According to sources in the Palakkad Collectorate, the Chief Minister asked for a report from the collector on the issue. Mr.Kaushik wrote to the Coimbatore Collector seeking a joint inspection of the stream to find out remedial measures. As, "there was no response from the Tamil Nadu side", Kerala had to take up the inspection on Tuesday to finalise the report, the sources said.

They also said the team had to reach the spot only through Tamil Nadu for easy access . Dismissing trespass charges, the Kerala officials claimed that the inspection as well as changes carried out in the structure of the water course (by removing boulders and sand) were well within the Kerala territory and nothing was done in Tamil Nadu as alleged.

However, farmers in Tamil Nadu pointed out that the stream by gradient was flowing towards the Perumalpathy checkdam in Alandurai of Tamil Nadu and only the surplus was meant for Malampuzha. The checkdam was irrigating thousands of acres at Alandurai, Chadivayal, Iruttupallam - right up to Thondamuthur and Chithiraichavadi areas.

They alleged that it was unfair on the part of the Kerala authorities to go to the site without the knowledge of officials here. Above all, they carried out changes in the water course, removing earthen bunds. Depositing earthen bunds to form a deep canal, changing the water course towards Kerala was what provoked objections now, agitated farmers in Alandurai told visiting newsmen today.

Officials in Coimbatore said the communication from the Palakkad Collector was already forwarded to the State headquarters. "Being an inter-State issue, it is for the State government to react."

Collectorate sources said the Coimbatore Collector, S. Kosalaraman, had sent a detailed report to the State Government. Besides, an official team already reached the spot. On getting its report, further course of action would be decided.

Farmers here are sore that the number of disputes over sharing of water between Kerala and Tamil Nadu in general and the Coimbatore region in particular is increasing. Next to the Parambikulam - Aliyar project, diversion of water from the Bhavani at Mukkali near the Silent Valley cropped up recently.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu