The Hindu : Front Page : Jayalalithaa opposes reservoir across Palar

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Saturday, Jan 07, 2006

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Jayalalithaa opposes reservoir across Palar

Special Correspondent

In a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, she says bid to withhold flows is a breach of inter-State accord

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has sought the intervention of her Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy to stop execution of any plan to build a reservoir across the Palar in the Kuppam area of the neighbouring State.

In a letter, copies of which were released here on Thursday, Ms. Jayalalithaa told Mr. Reddy that the Palar, "flowing through the northern districts of Tamil Nadu, is the lifeline of the people living in these districts."

Referring to reports that the Andhra Pradesh Government proposed to construct a reservoir with a storage capacity of 2000 mcft of water and that the work would be taken up shortly, she said, "This has caused great alarm and apprehension in Tamil Nadu."

The river was deficit in water supply and received precious flow for a very short period. "This supports an ayacut of nearly one lakh acres in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu. Farmers crucially depend upon this river for irrigation. The Palar, with its sand strata, is the only major source for drinking water supply to several towns and villages in Vellore, Kancheepuram and Chennai Districts. Any attempt to withhold the flows in the Palar by constructing a reservoir will be a serious breach of the existing inter-State agreement on this issue."

Ms. Jayalalithaa said: "As you are aware, the Palar is an inter-State river and is also one of the rivers mentioned in Schedule `A' annexed to the 1892 agreement which is in force. As per Clause II of this agreement, the upstream State should not, without the previous consent of the downstream Tamil Nadu State, build any new anicut or any structure to obstruct, divert or store the waters of the river across any part of the 15 main rivers named in Schedule `A' appended to the agreement."

The Andhra Pradesh Government had not approached the Tamil Nadu Government in connection with any such proposal. Further, it had not furnished any information on this project as required, she said.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam also criticised the Andhra Pradesh Government move.

MDMK general secretary Vaiko, in separate letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chairperson of UPA Sonia Gandhi, urged the Centre to prevail upon the Andhra Pradesh Government and ensure that the "proposed dam is not constructed." DMK deputy leader in the Assembly Durai Murugan called upon farmers to oppose the reservoir plan.

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