Told AP not to build new check dams across Palar river: Edappadi K Palaniswami

Chennai: Averring that the State government is taking appropriate steps to prevent the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh from constructing 30 new check dams across the Palar river, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said his government will not compromise on State’s rights on the issue.

Andhra Pradesh, he said has been asked not to take up the construction of the check dams without the consent of Tamil Nadu based on the 1892 Madras-Mysore Agreement. Stating that as per the 1982 agreement no check dams or diversion of river water should take place without the consent of the lower riparian States situated on the east, as Palar was a common river and belonged to all the States.

Raising the issue in the Assembly House on Tuesday, the DMK and Congress Contended that the move by Andhra Pradesh to construct the new check-dams across Palar would affect parts of Tamil Nadu, including Vellore.

“After coming across reports of Andhra Pradesh’s proposal to construct 30 new check-dams across Palar, a communication has been sent to its Water Resources Department, saying no sanction should be given for the same,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu government was disappointed that there was no reply from the AP government or the Union Water Resource Ministry, till date. Hence the State government moved the Supreme Court in 2016 to implead them.

Mr. Palaniswami assured that his government was dealing with the issue “carefully” and was taking all steps to assert Tamil Nadu’s rights on the Palar river.