Stalin asks Pinarayi to stop check dam work on Silandhi
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayavi Vijayan on Thursday, requesting him to halt the construction of a check dam across the Silanthi river in Idukki district.
Stalin took note of the reports and visuals claiming that a dam is being constructed over River Silanthi and said no documents related to such construction have been provided to either the Tamil Nadu Government or the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
Farmers in Tamil Nadu are apprehensive that the move would block the flow of water to the Amaravati dam, the Chief Minister highlighted in his letter, according to a government release.
“The Water Resources Department of Tamil Nadu has already asked the Kerala Water Resources Department officials about the current status of the project and the Master Plan for Bhavani and Amaravati (Bambar) sub-basins of Kerala. Hon’ble Chief Minister has requested in his letter to provide full details,” the statement reads.
The Tamil Nadu government stated that they have requested the Kerala government to “instruct the relevant officials of the Kerala Government to suspend this work until the issue is resolved”, to “maintain the true spirit of friendship between the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala”.
The check dam aims to provide drinking water to Kerala’s Vattavadi grama panchayat. Farmers in Tamil Nadu have been protesting against the project saying it would affect agriculture in Tirupur and Karur districts.