Chennai, Aug 31 (BPNS)

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community is to rake up protests against Andhra Pradesh constructing check dams across Kosasthalaiyar. The PMK has already contested protest marches against Andhra Pradesh constructing reservoir across the river without the consent of Tamil Nadu.

The PMK state president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss in a statement on Wednesday said that even though the Kosasthalaiyar originates from Andhra Pradesh it was filling up many water bodies in Tamil Nadu. He said that it was flowing through Kaveripakkam and Poondi reservoirs that provide drinking water to Chennai before discharging into the sea at Ennore.

Anbumani Ramadoss said that 60% of Tiruvallur district is prosperous because of the water from Kosasthaliyar and said that if Andhra Pradesh was allowed to build a check dam across the river, that would lead to not a single drop of water reaching Tamil Nadu.

The former Union Health Minister said that the Andhra Pradesh Government should have informed Tamil Nadu as it was the lower riparian state and for building a reservoir across the river, the law requires permission from the lower riparian state which was Tamil Nadu in the case of Kosasthaliyar.

The PMK leader also said that of the 3800 sq km of area through which the river flows, 3000 sq km was in Tamil Nadu. He charged that with 75% of the river flowing through Tamil Nadu, the state has all the rights to ensure that check-dams are not built across the Kosasthilayar.

He also said that the Andhra Pradesh Government has already constructed 22 check dams across the river in the past and this has led to the reduced flow of water through Tamil Nadu. He said that further permitting the Andhra government to construct check dam across the river would lead to total dryness.