The PMK on Tuesday staged a protest in Pallipet in Tiruvallur district, opposing the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposal to construct two checkdams across the Kosasthalaiyar.
Addressing the protesters, party president Anbumani Ramadoss said though the Kosasthalaiyar originated from Krishnapuram in Andhra Pradesh, it filled up many waterbodies in Tamil Nadu as it flows through the Kaveripakkam and Poondi reservoirs, which provide drinking water to Chennai, before discharging into the sea near Ennore.
“About 60% of Tiruvallur district is prosperous because of the Kosasthalaiyar. If Andhra Pradesh is allowed to build these checkdams, not even a single drop of water will reach Tamil Nadu. Andhra Pradesh is acting against the law. If they want to build reservoirs, they have to obtain the permission of the lower riparian State. But, they have announced the plan to build reservoirs without seeking Tamil Nadu’s consent,” he said.
He pointed out around 3,000 of the 3,800 sqkm area through which the river flows is in Tamil Nadu.
“About 75% of the river flows in Tamil Nadu while only 25% flows in Andhra Pradesh. The neighbouring State doesn’t have the right to build a checkdam. The Tamil Nadu government must ensure that the checkdams are not built across the Kosasthalaiyar. There used to be a time when water flowed through the Palar like milk. But, there is no water today. The reason was that Andhra Pradesh government has built around 22 checkdams across the river,” he said.
