OPS urges TN to stop proposal to construct dams across Paalar

CHENNAI: Extending his support for Edappadi K Palaniswami, former chief minister and ousted AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam on Tuesday urged the DMK government to immediately stop the Andhra Pradesh government's proposal to construct two dams across the Paalar river.

AIADMK interim general secretary Palaniswami on Sunday asked the State government to take steps for stopping the Andhra Pradesh’s move to stall the construction of check dams across the Paalar river.

Panneerselvam pointed out that the neighbouring state's plan to construct dams near Kuppam across the Paalar river will reduce water for drinking purposes and as well as for agriculture activities in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chennai.

Stating that after the Cauvery river water dispute with Karnataka and Mullaiperiyar river issue with Kerala, now a new issue had cropped up with Andhra Pradesh with regard to the construction of dams, Panneerselvam pointed out that Paalar water was not only used for drinking and agriculture purposes, but also the water was used by industries situated along the river besides Kalpakkam Atomic Research Centre's main water usage is from the Paalar river.

Referring to the State's Minister of Water Resources Duraimurugan statement that Andhra Pradesh's latest announcement should not be taken seriously as it was done earlier, Panneerselvam said, "During the then AIADMK regime from 2001 to 2006, the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had already written a letter to her then counterpart at Andhra Pradesh not to construct any dam as it violates 1892 agreement between the two states not to build any reservoir in that river".

Claiming that it was up to the duty of the Opposition parties to bring notice to the government with regard to the latest Paalar issue, Panneerselvam said "The Chief Minister, who has a good relationship with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, should talk and ask him to scrap the dam construction.”