The Hindu : Karnataka News : State for survey of disputed island by Survey of India

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Friday, Mar 07, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

State for survey of disputed island by Survey of India

V. Phaneesha

Joint survey to commence from March 14
Protest against Tamil Nadu’s project at Hogenakkal

CHAMARAJANAGAR: The Karnataka Government has favoured a survey by the Survey of India of the picturesque Hogenakkal island in midst of the Cauvery along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, rather than the joint survey by the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments.

Sources told The Hindu that the groundwork has been made to commence the joint survey from March 14. Since 1960, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been involved in a dispute with both the States claiming ownership over 400 acres of island near Hogenakkal Falls area.

The island is adjoining Chamarajanagar district at Marikkottayam on the one side and Dharmapuri district on the Tamil Nadu side.

The first survey was conducted during the regime of the British in 1880. After an Indian independence in 1947 and the redrawing of States based on linguistic lines in 1956, the survey work to identify and fix the boundary between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu did not commence properly.

The Tamil Nadu Government had made its efforts to identify 450-km-long border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in 1960. It had approached the Karnataka Government to discuss the matter to bear the expenditure of Rs.5 lakh in this regard. Both States agreed to bear the expenditure equally. The survey work could not commence as the officials concerned from Karnataka did not responded quickly to the survey process. Tamil Nadu again approached Karnataka for a joint survey in 1985 and 1995. The Karnataka Government had agreed to conduct the joint survey in response to the Tamil Nadu’s request in 2004. Though the joint survey work was planned in 2005, Tamil Nadu did not show interest in view of general elections. The Joint survey work of 10 km distance had been identified at Berambadi in Gundlepet taluk which is a tri-junction spot bordering Krala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Now the joint survey committee formed to conduct the survey has fixed the final date to commence the survey work after consulting the survey departments of both Sates. Pro-Kannada organisations in the State have started protesting against the Tamil Nadu Government’s attempts to take up a drinking water supply project across the Cauvery in Hogenakkal.

The Hogenakkal Ulisi Horata Samithi has urged the Governor to approach the Supreme Curt and the Union Government for stalling the project until the row over the island is solved.

The sources added that the Karnataka Government has reserved its stand to approach the Union Government seeking its survey to be conducted in fair manner.

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