PM Modi urged to advise Kerala to stop check dams across Bhavani
CHENNAI: Lodging a strong objection to the construction of check dams by Kerala across river Bhavani, a tributary of Cauvery, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct the Union Ministry of Water Resources to advise Kerala to stop the works forthwith.
“Kerala government may be advised not to take up any project or works without obtaining the prior concurrence of the Tamil Nadu government and until the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee come into force and judicial references are finally settled,” the chief minister said in his letter to the Prime Minister.
The chief minister said Kerala had commenced the earth work for laying the foundation of two check dams at Thekkuvattai and Manjikandi. Further, at Padavayal, the work of levelling the land had begun and materials for laying the foundation have also been stocked.
Panneerselvam also pointed out that check dams across Bhavani would affect the natural flow of the river and consequently diminish the flows to Tamil Nadu.
Referring to reports of Kerala planning to construct six check dams across Bhavani, he said this had caused great concern and anxiety among the people of Tamil Nadu dependent on waters of the Cauvery basin including the Bhavani, for irrigation and drinking water supply.
Even though the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal had delivered the final order on February 5, 2007, the States of Karnataka and Kerala had filed special leave petitions (now civil appeals) before the SC against the final order.
Tamil Nadu government had also filed a special leave petition in the SC on certain aspects of the final order of the tribunal. The SC, in its judgment dated December 9, 2016, had held that the civil appeals were maintainable. Subsequently, the SC by its order dated January 4, 2017, had fixed the hearing of civil appeals on February 7, 2017, and would continue to hear them on day to day basis.