Stalin’s visit to Palar bridge near Kuppam creates flutter

Says Tamil Nadu has a share in river water, urges T.N. govt. to hold talks with neighbouring State

Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly and DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Sunday said that people of his State had a share in the Palar water.

He was speaking after making a surprise visit to the work site near Kangundi, about 20 km from Kuppam, where a high-level road bridge was being constructed across the river by the Andhra Pradesh government.

Already the flow of water through Palar and Kosasthalaiyar rivers to Vellore, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts had been prevented by constructing several check dams, affecting the livelihood of several farmers, he told reporters, according to a statement issued here.

Problems related to sharing of river waters should be solved with Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka by initiating timely talks, but it was worrying that the present AIADMK government was not taking any efforts, he said.

He added that it was the responsibility of the TN government to constitute a river water protection committee comprising senior IAS officials to monitor river water-related problems and take timely measures.

Noting that farmers were afraid that the high-level road bridge will be converted into a check dam, he urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to take appropriate measures.

Mr. Stalin’s visit assumed significance, as it came after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami wrote to Mr. Naidu seeking his intervention in stopping check-dams allegedly being constructed in the border areas.

High drama

There was high drama at about 8.30 a.m. in the border villages as news spread that Mr. Stalin would visit the Palar bridge site.

However, when the Kuppam police contacted their counterpart in Vellore, Ranipet, and Vaniyambadi, they said that they were clueless.

But around 9.30 a.m., the Kuppam police received communication that the DMK leader and his convoy, comprising dozen SUVs and 50 motorcycles, were on their way to Kuppam and would be reaching the Palar bridge site in an hour. The Kuppam police immediately rushed to the site and arranged security.

The police informed Mr. Stalin that there was no move to construct either a dam or a check-dam. He was told that the R&B Department was only executing a high-level road bridge across the river to improve rural road network.

After a brief 10-minute visit, Mr. Stalin and his entourage left for Chennai. A huge contingent of mediapersons from Tamil Nadu accompanied Mr. Stalin.