TN to move SC if Kerala goes ahead with Siruvani dam

Erode, Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu will approach the Supreme Court and won’t be a ‘silent spectator’ if Kerala government goes ahead with its plan to build a dam across the Siruvani river, Public Works Minister K V Ramalingam has said.

“Tamil Nadu will not give up its rights with regard to Siruvani and Mullaperiyar,” he told reporters here on Sunday.  Ramalingam said Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to the Prime Minister asking him to advise Kerala not to proceed with the irrigation scheme or any other project on the Siruvani, in violation of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final order.

Jayalalithaa had asked the Centre not to accord it technical clearance as it “violates” the final order.

Tamil Nadu will approach the Supreme Court if the Kerala government goes ahead with its plan to construct a reservoir across the Siruvani at Attapadi affecting the interest of its people, the Minister said.

Tamil Nadu and Kerala are already locked in a dispute over the Mullaperiyar Dam issue. Kerala is insisting on building a new dam in place of the existing 116-year-old structure, to which Tamil Nadu is opposed.

Ramalingam earlier inaugurated the ‘Clima Adapt Scheme’, jointly implemented by the Public Works Department and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to improve paddy cultivation and production as per climatic conditions.

The Minister said that Norway had granted Rs 6 crore and under the scheme about 800 hectares in Kalingarayan ayacut in Erode district and Ponanaiyaru in Tiruchirapalli district would be taken up for paddy cultivation.

PTI