Krishnagiri: After Cauvery, Tamil Nadu farmers may have to fight for their rights to share the highly polluted South Pennar river waters, if a UK-assisted one billion pound project by Karnataka to revitalise its lakes and reuse their water for industries, is implemented.
The South Pennar River originates at Nandi hills in neighboring Karnataka and reaches Varathur Lake before entering Hosur in Tamil Nadu. This river is almost dry round the year but continuously receives the highly polluted sewerage water discharged into lakes in Karnataka.
Here, the water is first stored in the Kelavarapalli dam and then the surplus discharge from the Kelavarapalli is transported to the KRP dam in Krishnagiri and other district reservoirs in Dharmapuri, Thiruvanamalai, Villupuram and finally empties into sea at Cuddalore.
The upper riparian state has planned to revitalize the highly polluted lakes that store South Pennar river water before being allowed to flow into the lower riparian state. Karnataka has also planned to reuse the water for its industrial and other domestic use other than meeting its drinking water purpose.
Farmers leader, K.M. Rama Gounder, explaining about Karnataka’s plan said, “This project affecting Tamil Nadu farmers is planned by the Karnataka state industries and infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) at a cost of '400 crore. The purified water will be reused for industrial and domestic use other than drinking water purpose.”
The farmers’ leader added, “the UK government has come forward to lend one billion pound for the project. The UK-based company ‘Blue Water Bio’ will share the technology and arrange for the finance required for the works. The Israeli firm ‘Tahal’ will execute the work if everything goes smoothly.”
With this project, Karnataka also plans to stop South Pennar river water from entering Tamil Nadu affecting the livelihood of farmers at places along the course of the river, he feared. Around four lakh acres of cultivable lands will become fallow if the project is not stopped.
The Centre and Tamil Nadu governments should act fast to stop Karnataka from implementing this project which would deprive South Pennar water to the lower riparian state, urged the farmers’ leader.
