Southern States - Kerala   

Move to sell water of two rivers criticised

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DEC. 22. The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, V.S. Achuthanandan, has criticised the Government move to sell the water of Periyar and Malampuzha to multinational companies.

In a statement here today, Mr. Achuthanandan said a move was afoot to sell water in the Malampuzha dam to the London-based multinational, Vivendi, and that of the Periyar to a Washington-based multinational. The information is that the representatives of the two companies had visited the two locations and agreed to take up the projects, he said.

The Opposition leader said that under the agreement with the multinational companies, 80 per cent of the water in Malampuzha dam would be used by the company and no water would be spared for agriculture. Work on the project would begin in March 2003. Once the scheme became operational, the Water Resources Department would lose control of the Malampuzha dam and supply of water for irrigation and drinking purposes would cease. The KSIDC Managing Director had held discussions with representatives of the multinationals in this regard and the deal would be struck at the Global Investors' Meet in Kochi, he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the Malampuzha dam was built to provide water for farming in Palakkad district. Although it had a storage capacity of 8 tmcft, the actual storage was much less due to siltation. If the multinational company is given sanction to use the water from the dam, it would render cultivation on 20,000 hectares of land impossible. The American company eyeing water from the Periyar proposed to set up regulator-cum-bridge at Manjummel and Pathalam in Kochi.

The Government should immediately give up all plans to sell the water of the two rivers, he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• VAT losses: 'Centre will compensate States'
• Police keep Kolencherry church closed
• Only 4 p.c. of ADB loan for poverty alleviation: study
• Move to sell water of two rivers criticised
• Watchman killed in explosion at estate
• Knanaya ecclesiastic hierarchy soft-pedals laity demand
• Copier purchase row takes new turn
• Quantum jump in police communication

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu