Centre stops Kerala dam across Siruvani river, claims TN govt

Chennai: The central government has stopped Kerala from carrying on activities to build a dam across Siruvani river, the Tamil Nadu government said on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_3084352” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Tamil Nadu and Kerala are already locked in a dispute over the Mullaperiyar Dam issue. Reuters[/caption] In a statement issued in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu government said the central government has decided to keep in abeyance the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee to conduct environmental impact assessment for the dam. “The matter has been examined in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and it has been decided to keep the recommendations by Expert Appraisal Committee in abeyance till the references filed in Hon’able Supreme Court against the order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal are settled or get a positive consent for the ensuing Project from government of Tamil Nadu,” the statement quoted a paragraph from the central government’s letter. On 2 September, 2016, the Tamil Nadu assembly unanimously urged the central government not to accept recommendations for conducting an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a dam across Siruvani river in Kerala. The state also urged the central government not to allow any projects by Kerala and Karnataka till the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee come into force and judicial references are finally settled. The resolution was moved and passed following the recommendations made by the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The committee at its meeting on 11 and 12 August, recommended grant of Standard Terms of Reference for conducting EIA to Kerala so it could build a dam across Siruvani river at Attappady. Moving the resolution, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said Siruvani river is a sub-tributary of the Cauvery river which is an inter-state river. She said the Cauvery Tribunal has taken the water available to Kerala from Siruvani river and has arrived at the sharing of waters between various states. Jayalalitha said the central government has not informed Tamil Nadu about the proposal or that it would be considered at the Expert Appraisal Committee meeting.