Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko on Thursday appeared in the Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday in his capacity as a lawyer to argue a public interest litigation petition filed by his younger brother V. Ravichandran, president of Kalingapatti Marathoni Kanmoi and Chatrapatti Therkukulam Water Users’ Association based in Tirunelveli district.
The PIL had been filed seeking a direction to the Centre and governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to repair, stabilise and make good the breakage in Shenbagavalli alias Kannayamathaku channel and ensure proper supply of water for irrigation and drinking to the ayacutdars in Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar districts. An affidavit filed in support of the petition stated that Shenbagavalli was one of the most pristine rivers that originate in the Western Ghats within the territorial limits of Kerala and flow into Tamil Nadu providing water for irrigation and drinking to ayacutdars in Sivagiri, Sankarankoil and Rajapalayam taluks.
The water was supplied through a dam constructed across the river in 1773. One of the primary channels of the dam was found to be broken in 1965 and in 1980 the Tamil Nadu government agreed to pay Rs.5.80 lakh to the Government of Kerala for carrying out repair works.
However, the works did not start for years together leading to escalation of the estimated cost to Rs.10.29 lakh in 1985. The Tamil Nadu government agreed to pay the revised amount too. Yet, “the third respondent (Government of Kerala) had been turning a nelson’s eye to the same,” the petitioner claimed. When the matter came up for hearing before a Division Bench of Justices S. Tamilvanan and V.S. Ravi on Thursday, they adjourned it to March 16.
PIL sought direction to the Centre and governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to repair and stabilise Kannayamathaku channel
