K'taka must not be allowed to construct dam across river: MP

An AIADMK member from Tamil Nadu today demanded in the Lok Sabha that Karnataka should not be allowed to construct a dam across Then Pennai river as it would change the course of the river and affect his state.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, K Sugumar said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had already brought the matter to the notice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh through a communication.

"I would like to bring to the kind notice of the Government that the Karnataka Government is planning to construct a check dam across river Then Pennai. The Government of Karnataka is also trying to divert the flow of river Then Pennai to its territory depriving of the benefit to Tamil Nadu," he said.

He said the construction of dam will affect the districts like Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Thiruvanamali, Vilupuram and Cuddalore.

The Karnataka government has not communicated to the Tamil Nadu government or sought the consent of Tamil Nadu.

"Whether it is Cauvery or Then Pennai, Karnataka has been behaving undemocratically without looking into the problem of other sharing State. Therefore, I urge upon the Union Government to direct the Government of Karnataka to stop forthwith its plan of constructing the dam," the member said.