It is evident that the Tamil Nadu government led by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has been in deep slumber, as it has failed to take necessary efforts to resolve the inter-State river water disputes, said DMK president M. Karunanidhi.
The Kerala government obtaining permission from the Centre for a dam across Siruvani river exemplified the State’s inaction, he said in a statement on Saturday.
Mr. Karunanidhi said the Chief Minister was answerable on reports that the State government had failed to respond to several letters by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Kerala government, because of which the Expert Appraisal Committee had granted Terms of References for a new dam across the Siruvani.
If the Kerala government succeeds in building this dam, drinking water source for people in Coimbatore district and irrigation in the districts of Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur would be gravely affected, he said.
The Mekedatu dam planned by Karnataka across Cauvery, checkdams across the Palar river by Andhra Pradesh and the Kerala’s plan to build dam across Siruvani were all pointers to the threat of loss of livelihood of lakhs of farmers, Mr. Karunanidhi said.
Meanwhile, TMC president G.K. Vasan demanded the Centre to withdraw the recommendations for grant of ToR for conduction an environment impact assessment.
Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani urged political parties in Tamil Nadu to present a united stand against Kerala government for trying to construct a dam.
