The Hindu : `Review all inter-State water sharing agreements'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

`Review all inter-State water sharing agreements'

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD JAN. 8. The Bharathapuzha Samrakshana Samithy (Protection Committee) has demanded that the State Government take steps to review all the inter-state water sharing agreements that destroyed its rivers like Bharathapuzha.

Addressing a press conference here today, the samithy secretary, Indianur Gopi, P.S. Panicker and Bijukumar said the inter-State water sharing agreements had gone against the interest of Kerala. The diversion of water under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) diverted the waters of Bharathapuzha and Chaliyar to Tamil Nadu resulting in the acute water shortage in these basins spread over the districts of Palakkad, Malappuram and Thrissur.

The samithy leaders urged the political parties in Kerala to take a united stand in protecting its rivers and water resource.

The biggest problem here was that there was no political will to protect its rivers and water resources.

Despite the ongoing controversy on water sale, the real issue of protecting its rivers had been forgotten by political parties in the State. Unless there was political will the rivers of Kerala could not be protected, Mr. Gopi said.

He said that the panchayats on the banks of the Bharathapuzha had divided the river and removed sand in such way that the river was almost dead.

In this destruction, there was no political difference and every party was supporting the sand removal.

There was large scale illicit sand removal but no steps had been taken by the authorities to stop it, he said.

The samithy leaders demanded the setting up of a River Development Authority for the Bharathapuzha.

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