MK to meet AP CM on Palar Dam issue: TN Minister

Chennai, Aug 7 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi proposes to meet his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to impress upon him to drop the plan to raise a check dam across River Palar, State Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy told the Assembly today.

Making a suo motu statement in the House, Mr Ponmudy, who is also in-charge of Public Works, said Mr Karunanidhi's advice, him to call Dr Reddy along with Local Administration Minister M K Stalin in Hyderabad on August 5.

When they drew the attention of Dr Reddy to reports that work to construct the dam had already begun, he said the government had neither issued an order nor made a financial allocation for the project.

Mr Ponmudy said that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister explained to them that only exploratory works were on to raise a small dam to meet the drinking water requirement of people living in and around Kuppam and to facilitate irrigation in about 4,000 acre of land in that region.

Pointing out that such a project would severely affect drinking water and irrigation facilities in three districts of Tamil Nadu and also keeping in view the atomic power station in Kalpakkam depended on Palar water, the delegation impressed upon Dr Reddy that any attempt to build the dam would be against the interest of people of Tamil Nadu, Mr Ponmudy said.

Assuring them that his government would not take any action that would be against the State's interest and in contravention of law, Dr Reddy also told them that details with regard to the proposed dam would be intimated to Tamil Nadu in advance and its views would be considered before taking any further step.

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