PMK protests against construction of dams across Kosasthalai river

CHENNAI: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Tuesday staged a protest condemning the Andhra Pradesh government for their announcement to construct two dams across Kosasthalai river.

"60 per cent of Tiruvallur district gets water for drinking and irrigation purposes from Kosasthalai river and if Andhra Pradesh government constructs dam, the district will not get a single drop of water and Tiruvallur district will become a desert," PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss said during the protest.

Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government announced the construction of two dams across Kosasthalai river, one at Kathiripalliat an extent of 540 acres at the estimated cost of Rs 92 acres and Mokkala Kandgai at an extent of 420 acres at the cost of Rs 72 crore.

Anbumani said that a similar announcement was made by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to construct 5 dams across Kosasthalai river in 2017 and in the same year at Pallipattu PMK staged a mega protest and it was due to the pressure of PMK that the Andhra Pradesh government abandoned the projects.

Anbumani also said that Kosasthalai river which originates at Krishnapuram in Andhra Pradesh enters Tamil Nadu at Kaveripakkam fills hundreds of lakes and is also filling Poondi reservoir before draining into Bay of Bengal at Ennore.

Kosasthalai river has the water basin of 3,800 square kilometres and 3,000 square kilometers of water basin is present in Tamil Nadu.

Anbumani further said that Andhra Pradesh has no right to construct dams across Kosasthalai river as they should get the consent of Tamil Nadu which is a lower riparian State. "Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin should meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and to prevent Andhra Pradesh from constructing the dam because Palar river which was once a flourishing river has now turned into a desert due to 22 dams constructed across Palar by Andhra Pradesh government," Anbumani noted.