She sought the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to advise the state against going ahead with the work.

In a Demi Official letter to the Prime Minister today, Ms Jayalalithaa brought his notice to an important issue relating to the proposals of the Government of Karnataka to build check dams and diversion structures across the Pennaiyar River which originates in Karnataka but flows through Tamil Nadu.

She mentioned that the Pennaiyar River flows through the Districts of Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and was the lifeline of the people living in these Districts.  The river irrigated an ayacut of nearly 4 lakh acres, she added.

Ms Jayalalithaa said she understood that the Government of Karnataka had proposed to construct check dams and diversion structures across the Pennaiyar River which was causing great alarm and apprehension in Tamil Nadu.  Any attempt to withhold the flows by constructing check dams and diversion structures across the Pennaiyar River would be a serious breach of the existing Inter-State Agreement on this issue. This would also be a body blow to the farmers of Tamil Nadu besides affecting the basic drinking water supply position, she warned.

Ms Jayalalithaa stated that the Prime Minister was aware that Pennaiyar was an Inter-State River and was also one of the Rivers mentioned in Schedule ‘A’ annexed to the Madras-Mysore Agreement of 1892.  As per clause-II of this Agreement, the upstream State should not build any new anicut or any structure to obstruct, divert or store the waters of the river across any part of the river, without the previous consent of the downstream Tamil Nadu State.

She pointed out that the Government of Karnataka had neither sought the consent of the Government of Tamil Nadu nor furnished any information, though the Government of Tamil Nadu had asked the Government of Karnataka to furnish the details of such schemes and also urged it not to commence any such work without the consent of the Government of Tamil Nadu.