The Madras High Court has directed a petitioner who filed a PIL seeking a directive to the state Government to build barrages along the 110 km path of Kollidam river to approach the authorities concerned.
"In our view, the matter falls totally within the domain of the Government. As to where a barrage should be made, what project should be undertaken, how funds should be allocated, it is for the Executive Government to consider," the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana said.
They gave the direction recently on a PIL filed by Advocate K Rajendran.
The Kollidam river is a major water source to 13 districts including Chennai.
Noting that the petitioner had earlier approached it on the matter, the court felt this aspect has to be examined by the government and not by intervention of judicial proceedings.
"The petitioner is free to approach the authorities concerned without giving rise to any fresh cause of action in a PIL."
Rajendran had submitted that river Kollidam, the biggest branch of Cauvery, travels 110 km from Upper Anaicut in Trichy District up to Anaikaran Chatram in Nagapattinam District and supplies drinking water to state capital Chennai through the New Veeranam Project.