Six MLAs of the DMK party on Sunday visited the check dam constructed across Palar river near Perumpallam in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
Senior leader and Katpadi MLA Durai Murugan, along with R. Gandhi (Ranipet), P. Karthikeyan (Vellore), A. Nallathambi (Tirupattur), A.P. Nandhakumar (Anaicut) and J.L. Eswarappan (Arcot), visited the spot. The check dam is brimming with water after the rains in the region. It was a few weeks ago that the AP government completed the project to raise the height of the dam.
Mr. Nallathambi said that AP government has constructed 22 check dams across Palar, and this was preventing water flow into Tamil Nadu, thereby affecting the livelihood of farmers. “We will raise the issue in the Assembly on Monday,” he said.
Noting that the Chief Minister had sent a letter to her AP counterpart on this issue, he said that the government hastily filed a case in the court after the DMK announced that it would stage a protest.
“We are of the view that the government should hold talks directly with the AP government and arrive at a solution that is amicable for both the States, instead of filing a court case. This issue should be solved without creating any differences between the two States,” he said.
The MLAs were also of the view that an all-party meeting could be held to discuss this issue. “Officials should be sent to hold talks with the AP government,” he mentioned.
He added that Palar was the lifeline for agriculture and drinking water. Jolarpet and Tirupattur municipalities rely on the river for supplying water to residents.
The MLAs also met the family of Seenu, who drowned in the check dam on Friday.
