PALAKKAD: Tamil Nadu has again begun taking water from the Parambikulam dam through the contour canal to the Thirumoorthy dam in violation of the inter state river water sharing agreement. This took place after protests before the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) office in Pollachi by the farmers of Tamil Nadu.
The Joint Water Regulatory Development Board (JWRDB) meet held in Palakkad on December 22 between the representatives of Kerala and Tamil Nadu failed to reach an agreement on the release of water for the month of January 2018. Therefore, under the agreement it was for the governments of both the states to hold further talks and arrive at a solution.
Instead, reports indicated following the agitation by the farmers, Tamil Nadu unilaterally decided to release water from the Parambikulam dam through the contour canal to the Thirumoorthy dam.
As per the terms of the agreement arrived between the two states in 1970, “The Board shall be responsible for the proper regulation of water collected and distributed through Aanamalayar, the Nirar weir, the lower Nirar reservoir, Tamil Nadu Sholayar and Kerala Sholayar, Parambikulam, Thunakadavu, Peruvaripallam and Aliyar reservoirs.”
“Currently, Tamil Nadu has agreed to release water only till January 15 from the Aliyar dam. If it is not released till March 2018, the second crop will dry up,” Muthalamthode Mani, general secretary of the Desiya Karshaka Samajam, told Express.
He pointed out there was a ‘shutter’ through which water is released from the Parambikulam dam to Thunakadavu and there is also another ‘shutter’ leading from the Thunakadavu dam to Sarakarapathy which are both located in Muthalamada panchayat. If Tamil Nadu unilaterally released water from the Parambikulam dam, the officials of the Kerala Irrigation Department should have closed the two ‘shutters which was not done.
As per the agreement, Tamil Nadu has to release 7.25 tmc annually to Kerala. It had to release 320 cusecs from December 1 to 15 and another 440 cusecs in the second fortnight of December. Similarly, in the first fortnight of January, Tamil Nadu has to release 500 cusecs and from January 15 to 31, it has to release another 350 cusecs.
In the first fortnight of February, Tamil Nadu is to release 80 cusecs and in the second fortnight another 80 cusecs. Finally, in the month of March, Tamil Nadu has to release 180 cusecs in the first fortnight and another 180 cusecs in the second one.
“Kerala has informed the Irrigation secretary of the failure of the talks and the issue will be taken up with the Chief Minister. Kerala has informed the Tamil Nadu side discussions should be held in the first week of January to resolve the deadlock. Or else, Kerala has stated the shutters of the dam which are currently unilaterally being handled by Tamil Nadu will henceforth be jointly controlled by Kerala also.
“The State Government has to take a decision on the matter”, said P Sudhir, deputy director of the JERDB who represented the Kerala side at the talks.