Fresh out of the controversy over jallikattu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has now taken issue with Kerala’s plans to build dams on river Bhavani.
The Chief Minister has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the Centre’s intervention to stop Kerala from building check dams on Bhavani, a tributary of Cauvery. The river is one of the primary sources of drinking water for Tamil Nadu, the CM said.
Kerala is planning to build 6 check dams on Bhavani, and this has caused great concern and anxiety to the people of the state, the Chief Minister wrote.
OPS also said that the building of dams without concurring with the TN government were also in contravention of the 2007 final order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
The CM sought the PM’s intervention in advising the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to so stall the construction of dams carried out by Kerala.
Read the full text below:
There have been recent reports that the Government of Kerala plans to construct 6 check dams across the river Bhavani, which is a tributary of the river Cauvery. These reports have caused great concern and anxiety among the people of Tamil Nadu dependent on waters of the Cauvery basin including the Bhavani, for irrigation and drinking water supply.
I am informed that the Government of Kerala has commenced the earth work for laying the foundation of 2 check dams at Thekkuvattai and Manjikandi. Further, at Padavayal, the work of levelling the land has commenced and materials for laying the foundation have also been stocked.
As you are aware, the river Bhavani is one of the main tributaries of the river Cauvery. Even though, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal had delivered the Final Order on 5.2.2007, the States of Karnataka and Kerala have filed Special Leave Petitions (now Civil Appeals) before the Hon’ble Supreme Court against the Final Order of the Tribunal.
The State of Tamil Nadu has also filed a Special Leave Petition in the Hon’ble Supreme Court on certain aspects of the Final Order of the Tribunal. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in its Judgement dated 9.12.2016, has held that the Civil Appeals are maintainable. Subsequently, the Hon’ble Supreme Court by its Order dated 4.1.2017, has fixed the hearing of Civil Appeals on 7.2.2017 and will continue to hear them on day to day basis. Further, the Cauvery Management Board has not yet been constituted by the Government of India for the effective implementation of the Final Order of the Tribunal. Therefore, the entire matter is sub-judice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
I wish to inform that any attempt to construct check dams across the river Bhavani without disclosing the details of schemes and obtaining the prior concurrence of the Government of Tamil Nadu, violating the order of the Tribunal, will affect the natural flow of the river Bhavani and consequently diminish the flows to Tamil Nadu. Therefore, the Government of Tamil Nadu conveys its strong objection to the construction of check dams by Kerala across the river Bhavani, without obtaining the prior concurrence of Tamil Nadu and in violation of the Final Order of the Tribunal.
In these circumstances, I request you to kindly instruct the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to advise the Government of Kerala to immediately stop the works of construction of check dams across the river Bhavani. The Government of Kerala may also be advised not to take up any project or works without obtaining the prior concurrence of the Government of Tamil Nadu and until the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee come into force and judicial references are finally settled.
I look forward to your immediate positive response in this matter.