Kerala bats for reviewing PAP pact with Tamil Nadu

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will focus on reviewing the Parabikulam-Aliyar Project, the water sharing agreement with Tamil Nadu, at a secretary-level meeting to be held in Chennai next month, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.

Vijayan told the state Assembly that though the state had begun steps to review the decades-old agreement since 1988 and held discussions multiple times, its re-examination has not been a reality as both sides had failed to reach an understanding on the terms and conditions.

"The government is considering all possibilities to review the PAP agreement with an objective to protect the state's interest and get better share of water by holding discussions with Tamil Nadu," he said.

"We will give priority for reviewing the pact during the scheduled secretary-level meeting to be held in Chennai on February 10," the chief minister said.

Due to the constant intervention of the state government, Tamil Nadu today informed that they would release 400 cusecs of water to Kerala in accordance with the agreement reached between the Chief Secretaries of both states on January 19, he said.

Vijayan was replying to a submission on the hardships faced by the farmers of Chittoor river basin area in northern Palakkad district who depend mainly on the

release of water under the PAP pact.

Under the agreement, Kerala has to receive 7.25 tmcft water in a year. However, in the current water-year till yesterday, the state received only 4.275 tmcft, he said.

The state has to receive the remaining 2.525 tmcft water by June 30, 2018, Vijayan said.

The government is making all efforts to get its maximum share of water from the neighbouring state under the agreement, he added.