TN CM asks Naidu to stop constructing dam at Chittoor

Condemning Andhra Pradesh (AP) government's plan to construct a check dam across the river Kusa at Chittoor district, Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday said to his AP counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu to immediately stall the work.

Pointing out that river Kusa at Nelavayl Village, Karvet Nagar Mandal, Chittoor District, which is a sub-tributary of the Inter-State river Kosasthalaiyar, Palaniswami said "this unilateral action of the authorities in AP has caused great alarm and apprehension amongst the farmers in Tamil Nadu".

He said the Kusa river, a sub-tributary of Kosasthalaiyar river, supports an ayacut of about 354.32 acres fed by the Veligaram tank in Tamil Nadu.

"Any intervention of the flow to this tank is of great concern to the farmers who depend on the waters of this tank", he said adding that the Government of AP should have consulted and obtained prior consent of the lower riparian State of Tamil Nadu before commencing any new work across the river Kusa or in any stream/channel taking off from it".

Stating that the action of the authorities in AP will affect the natural flow in the stream or channel taking off from it and would obstruct the flow to the Veligaram tank in the lower riparian State of Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami said in these circumstances, the Government of Tamil Nadu lodges its strong protest against the action of the Government of AP in having unilaterally commenced the work for the construction of a check dam

"I also request you to immediately intervene in the matter and issue instructions to the officials concerned to stop the construction activities of the Check Dams at Nelavayl Village and also not to take up any diversion works/check dam works across Kusa or in any tributaries or sub–tributaries of Kosasthalaiyar river without obtaining the prior concurrence of the Tamil Nadu government and also to furnish full details of the check dam under construction / proposed to be constructed in the sub-tributaries andtributaries in the Kosasthalaiyar river", he said.