Asserting that the Chief Minister has written to the Prime Minister to protect Tamil Nadu’s rights on Siruvani River, PWD Minister K V Ramalingam said that if there was no response from the Centre, the State would approach the Supreme Court to protect its rights over water courses.
When his attention was drawn on MDMK chief Vaiko’s campaign to protect the irrigation on the ground that Kerala was planning to construct seven check dams in the name of Idukki project, he said that there were river water pacts between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
“Kerala cannot violate such pacts. On Kerala’s move to construct check dam across Siruvani also, CM wrote to the PM.”
“The CM would not allow Kerala to go ahead with the move. She is firm on protecting TN’s rights,” he said.
On the Mullaiperiyar dam issue, he said that initially there was some problem in filling up the holes dug to test the dam’s strength.
The civil work was completed on Saturday, he said, adding that the CM had sanctioned `146 crore for improving the canals and check dams in Amaravathy River and Palar Basin. She also sanctioned `50 crore for modernisation of Kalingarayan irrigation canal in Erode. The work would begin soon.
To check malpractices, former ADGP Natraj was posted as TNPSC chairman. Karunanidhi perhaps recalled the malpractices in the process in his regime, he quipped.