TENKASI: Tenkasi BJP district unit demanded that the Tamil Nadu government approach the central government and the Supreme Court without further delay on the prolonged inaction by the Kerala government and the Cauvery Technical Cell (CTC) cum Interstate Water Wing in repairing the Shenbagavalli (Chembakavally) check dam. The water from this dam irrigated about 11,000 acres of farmland in three Tamil Nadu districts until 1967.
The party's district president Ananthan Ayyasamy, recently petitioned Governor R N Ravi in person in this regard. "The matter has been with the CTC since 2006, after the Kerala government refused to reconsider its decision not to carry out repairs in response to the Madras High Court judgment dated 20.07.2016. Despite multiple rounds of discussions between the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments over the past 18 years, the issue remains unresolved, leaving no hope for a solution. Hence, I request the Tamil Nadu government to pursue other avenues, including the intervention of the Central government and the Supreme Court, to help restore the livelihood of thousands of farmers," Ananthan stated in his petition.
Centuries-old anaicut
Shenbagavalli channel is a small diversion anaicut built at the junction of two jungle streams-Puliyanpatti Thodu and Chokkanpatti Thodu-in the Periyar basin, located in Kerala, about a mile from the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. This anaicut diverted the flow from these streams into the Rasingaperi and Kulasekaraperi tanks in Sivagiri taluk through the Kanyamadagu channel. The anaicut is believed to have been built in 1733 by the Sivagiri Zamindar after obtaining permission from the Travancore and Cochin Samasthanams. According to the petition, this channel was the primary water source for cultivating about 11,000 acres of farmland in Sivagiri, Sankarankoil, Thiruvengadam, Vembakottai, and Vilathikulam areas in Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, and Thoothukudi districts.
Kerala returns repair funds to TN
"The Tamil Nadu government repaired damages in the channel and anicut between 1959 and 1962. However, damage was reported again in 1967. In consultation with the Kerala government, Tamil Nadu sent Rs 5.15 lakh to Kerala in 1986 as a 50% advance payment for the estimated repair cost. Despite receiving the funds, Kerala never initiated the repair work and eventually returned the money to the Tamil Nadu government in 2006," Ananthan said.
In response to an RTI petition filed by M Muthuganesan of Virudhunagar district, the Public Information Officer of the CTC stated that the Tamil Nadu government had held talks with the Kerala government over this issue twice in 2019, once in 2020, and once in 2021. However, the discussions did not yield any fruitful results.