PALAKKAD: A meeting of the Joint Water Regulation Board of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) between Kerala and Tamil Nadu held here on Wednesday failed to reach an accord on water supply pattern.

The meeting could not finalise the annual account of the last water year and the supply pattern for the remaining period of this year.

Tamil Nadu officials walked out of the meeting protesting against the `hostile attitude' taken by one of the Board members from the Kerala side in not allowing them to present their views. They complained that the Board meeting deviated from the precedence.

Talking to presspersons after the meeting, Board Chairman K. Divakaran, Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Government of Kerala, said an accord could not be reached because Tamil Nadu refused to concede Kerala's demand for clearing a backlog of 5.6 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water at the Manacadavu weir for Chitturpuzha.

Under the PAP agreement, the Chitturpuzha should get 7.25 tmcft of water a year at Manacadavu. This water year, Kerala should get an additional 0.695 tmcft due to good rain. Kerala demanded a total of 12.846 tmcft this year as against an entitlement of 13.541 tmcft. But Tamil Nadu was prepared to give only the annual entitlement of 7.25 tmcft, the Chairman said.

He said Tamil Nadu refused to accept Kerala's demand despite the Parambikulam group of reservoirs is having 11 tmcft now. Kerala got only 5.363 tmcft out of its entitlement of 13.541 tmcft till February 14, 2007.

Another member of the Board, Radhakrishnan, Chief Engineer, Kerala State Electricity Board, who was present, said Tamil Nadu had agreed to measure the water at the inlet of Nirar as it was found that there was variation in the measurement of Nirar waters at the outlet.

Asked about the failure to reach an agreement, he said a meaningful discussion was not possible because of the `negative attitude' taken by Tamil Nadu.

The meeting could take up only two items on the eight-point agenda.

Other major issues such as violation of the agreement in Kerala Sholayar on filling up the reservoir to the Full Reservoir Level of 2,663 feet every February 1 and September 1 could not be taken up because of the walk-out.

The Tamil Nadu officials refused to make any comment on the outcome of the meeting. They said that the matter would be reported to the State Government and further talks could be held at higher levels.

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