Tamil Nadu to release 1250 mcft of water to Kerala

Chennai, Oct 17:

has agreed to share 1,250 million cubic feet (mcft) of water with

from now till Dec 15 under the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP).

Though Kerala demanded 1,340 mcft since that is the quantum of water it is entitled to get as per the PAP agreement signed between the two states, Tamil Nadu pointed out its inability to allot Kerala's entire share.

Citing the deficient rainfall in the state during the South West Monsoon and the present water level in the catchment areas, officials of TN Public Works Department convinced their Kerala counterparts at a meeting yesterday in Coimbatore to accept a reduced quantum of water.

In line with the distress-sharing formula, Tamil Nadu will release 1,250 mcft of water to Chittur and Palakkad regions of Kerala between Oct 16 and Dec 15.

Both states will again hold a meeting in the first week of Dec to discuss how much water Kerala should get after Dec 15. In 2011, Tamil Nadu released altogether 12,500 mcft in accordance with the PAP agreement.

Members of the PAP Joint Water Regulation Board - officials of Kerala Water Resources Department, Kerala State Electricity Board, Tamil Nadu Public Works Department and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board - usually meet once in six months to decide the share of each state.

Incidentally, Tamil Nadu is currently embroiled in the Cauvery dispute with Karnataka. The former has even filed a contempt plea against the latter for ignoring the Supreme Court's specific directive to release 9,000 thousand million cubic feet of Cauvery water from Sept 20 to Oct 15.

Kerala too has been at loggerheads with Tamil Nadu on the Mullaperiyar issue. Seemingly, the three southern states cannot see to eye when it comes to water-sharing.

OneIndia News