TN to move SC if talks with Kerala on dams failed

CM Jayalalithaa has directed for talks between authorities of the two states

The Tamil Nadu government today said it would move the Supreme Court if talks between the state and Kerala on the latter constructing dams across rivers Bhavani and Siruvani failed.

Replying to CPI's call attention motion in this regard in the state Assembly, public works minister KV Ramalingam said chief minister J Jayalalithaa had directed for talks between authorities of the two states.

"If it fails, we will approach the Supreme Court," he said.

Earlier, in a written reply, he said the Cauvery Tribunal had allocated 2.87 tmcft of water for Kerala's proposed dam on Siruvani at Attappadi but the Tamil Nadu government had sought the project details and also informed Kerala in February that it could not go ahead with the project till the final award of the Cauvery Disputes Tribunal came into force.

Jayalalithaa had written to Prime Minster Manmohan Singh in June last year asking him to direct Central Water Commission (CWC) not to grant technical approval to Kerala till the final award came into existence or till such time court cases regarding final award were disposed of, he said.

Following reports of check dams on Bhavani in Palghat district which subsequently affected Coimbatore and Erode districts, the Tamil Nadu government had asked Kerala on March 15 to remove the "blockades created by farmers" there, Ramalingam said.

While the final award of the Cauvery tribunal has been notified in the Central gazette, Kerala cannot immediately implement the project as it has to get the approval of Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, both yet to be formed, besides that of the CWC, he said.

"The Tamil Nadu government is taking all efforts to safeguard the welfare of people dependent on Bhavani river," Ramalingam said.