Siruvani check dam issue: Tamil Nadu and Kerala will hold joint inspection, Duraimurugan says

CHENNAI: Following complaints by the AIADMK that Kerala was building a check dam across the river Siruvani, water resources minister Duraimurugan on Friday announced that the Tamil Nadu officials would hold a joint inspection with Kerala counterparts.
The minister was responding to a calling attention motion moved by AIADMK whip S P Velumani, who alleged that Kerala had completed 90% of the construction work and the move would prevent flow to the Siruvani dam, the main source of drinking water for Coimbatore. He had demanded that the state government act swiftly on this issue.
When Duraimurugan said that a team of officials had gone to the spot and the government would get to know of the details in a day or two, leader of opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami intervened to say, “It is an important issue and the minister should examine it seriously and prevent the construction.”
Duraimurugan said the government had come to know about Kerala’s plan to build the check dam across the river, and the neighbouring state reducing the storage level to 45 feet from 50 feet. “We will hold talks with Kerala. Either the officials or I myself will hold talks,” the minister said.
State government sources told TOI that the Kerala government had been building a check dam across the Siruvani, at two kilometres upstream of the confluence point of the Siruvani and the Bhavani. The check dam is 36m wide and 1.2m high and nearing completion.
Responding to PMK (Pennagaram) MLA GK Mani’s demand that Cauvery surplus water be supplied to the water-deficit Dharmapuri district, Duraimurugan said initial estimate was that the project would cost Rs 1,500 crore and it would be taken up based on the financial position.