Date:26/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/26/stories/2007042604800100.htm

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Palar issue: State moves apex court

J. Venkatesan

River "crucial" for farmers, residents

Andhra Pradesh action termed unilateral

New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu Government on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the Andhra Pradesh Government from executing any plan to build a reservoir across the Palar in the Kuppam area. In an application filed in the original suit, Tamil Nadu sought an injunction against Andhra Pradesh from proceeding with its plan to construct the dam. The petition stated that the Palar flowing through the northern districts of Tamil Nadu was the lifeline of the people of Vellore, Kancheepuram and Chennai.

It referred to media reports that the Andhra Pradesh Government proposed to construct a reservoir with a storage capacity of 2,000 mcft of water and that the work would be taken up shortly.

The application said that Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi wrote to his counterpart in Andhra Pradesh on February 1 seeking clarification on the construction of the check dam. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy replied that the designs of the proposed scheme were in the stage of finalisation and assured that the details would be shared with the Tamil Nadu Government.

Despite this assurance, Andhra Pradesh reportedly proceeded to call for tenders for the construction of the dam and the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister had stated that the State would proceed with the construction, Tamil Nadu alleged.

"Residents concerned"

The application said that this had caused great apprehension in Tamil Nadu. It pointed out that the river was deficit in water supply and received precious flow for a very short period and supported an ayacut of nearly one lakh acres in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu. Farmers crucially depended on this river for irrigation.

Besides, the Palar with its sand strata was the only major source for drinking water to several towns and villages in the three districts. Any diminution of supplies in the river would cause severe pollution problems affecting inhabitants living along the banks.

The unilateral action of Andhra Pradesh in proceeding with the construction of the dam without furnishing information and without taking the concurrence of Tamil Nadu was totally illegal, it said and sought a direction to restrain it from proceeding with the construction.