Kerala   

PAP agreement

The Parambikulam-Aliyar project (PAP) agreement signed between Tamil Nadu and Kerala on May 29, 1970 has retrospective effect from November 9, 1958. The agreement is aimed at beneficial sharing of waters of the Bharathapuzha, the Chalakudy and the Periyar and implementation of projects by the two States. The wisdom behind giving retrospective effect and fixing a long term of 30 years for the review of the agreement is not vivid. A cut-off date for its validity is not stipulated. No review has taken place so far because any such exercise will result in the disclosure of Tamil Nadu’s violations of the agreement.

That State has constructed the Upper Aliyar dam and the Aliyar power house under the agreement but the Kadampara dam and the power house on the Upper Aliyar in violation of it. The Vandal dam and the Deviyar and Akkamala weirs have also been constructed in violation of the agreement. Another violation is the interceptions on a number of places along the 52-km Condoor Canal from the Sirkarpathy Power House to the Thirumoorthy dam, impeding the flow of water to the Chittoor river. It is reported that two additional saddle spillways have been built by Tamil Nadu in the Sholayar reservoir, resulting in loss of water from the Kerala Sholayar to Peringalkuttu, via Edamalayar.

The delay in reviewing the agreement will only give more and more chances to Tamil Nadu to violate the agreement.

C. Anirudhan

Thiruvananthapuram

The State government has designated 2007-08 as Water Literacy Year. This is significant since Kerala has received copious rain during the southwest monsoon. Now, it is necessary to take steps to prevent a drought next summer. Because of a lack of water-resources planning, Kerala experiences drought during the summer months. The State has to embark upon an action plan for combating drought. If water level is maintained on the river beds, wells, the main water sources, will not dry up.

The appropriate technology for this is construction of check dams. In the Bharathapuzha and other rivers, these have been found to be a success.

The Water Resources Department and the Kerala Water Authority are the main agencies to take the lead role in constructing check dams.

In the Bharathapuzha, two check dams will be constructed and commissioned by May 2008 at Cheruthuruthy and Ottapalam. Allocation is made from the River Management Fund for the work. Construction of check dams is the fulfilment of people’s aspiration.

T.N.N. Bhattathiripad

Kadangode

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