CM Stalin asks Pinarayi to stop check dam work on Silandhi

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday wrote a letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, urging the Kerala government to suspend the work on construction of a check dam across the Silandhi river. To uphold the friendly relationship between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the check dam work must be suspended until a solution can be found for the issue, the CM said in his letter.

Referring to the reports about the Kerala government constructing a check dam across the Silandhi river, which is part of the Pambaru (Amaravathy) sub-basin, Stalin said there is an apprehension among the farmers of Tamil Nadu that the proposed check dam may drastically reduce the flow of water in Amaravathy river.

Stalin also urged the Kerala CM to provide the present status of the check dam at Silandhi river and the Master Plan for Bhavani and Amaravathi (Pambaru) sub-basins to Tamil Nadu since this information has not been submitted either to the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) or to the Tamil Nadu government. Stalin pointed out that the Tamil Nadu water resources secretary had already sought this information from the officials of the Kerala irrigation department.

Suspend check dam work: Stalin to vijayan

Stalin also explained that the above information should be provided to Tamil Nadu immediately as it is vital for studying the issue legally. He also urged Pinarayi Vijayan to advise the officials concerned to suspend the works on the check dam across the Silandhi river until a solution to this issue is arrived at.