Decision to release Neyyar water to TN unlawful : Jacob

Kochi, Oct 4 (UNI) Terming Kerala Governemnt's decision to release water from Neyyar Dam to Tamil Nadu as 'unlawful', former water resources minister T M Jacob today demanded an apology from Chief Minister V S Achutahnandan on the issue.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Jacob said the decision to release water was against the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act of 2003 and the chief minister should apologise for this 'unlawfulness'.

The government cannot breach the state law which explicitly states that no water in the state can be distributed to other states without any agreement, Mr Jacob noted.

Presently no agreement exists between the two states for the distribution of water from Neyyar Dam, he added.

Mr Jacob alleged that the state was following the dictates of the Tamil Nadu Government.

The government was also not taking any concretes steps to resolve the outstanding inter-state water disputes including the Mullaperiyar issue, he added.

In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Karunanidhi, Mr Achuthanadan expressed the government's willingness to provide water to Tamil Nadu from Neyyar dam in Thiruvananthapuram district.

UNI MA VS1401