CHENNAI: PWD Minister K V Ramalingam on Thursday said that as per the existing agreement, Karnataka could not construct a new dam across Thenpennai river without the consent of the Tamil Nadu Government.Replying to an issue raised by the Congress, CPI and CPM in this regard in the State Assembly, the Minister said the Tamil Nadu Government had written to the Karnataka Government seeking an explanation for the reports about the new dam. The Chief Secretary will write another le tter to Karnataka and a committee will be formed to monitor developments, he said. “Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will not compromise on the rights of Tamil Nadu,” the Minister asserted. He pointed out that Thenpennai river was an inter-State river passing through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.Speaking on the issue, K Gopinath (Congress), T Ramachandran (CPI), A Ganesh Kumar (PMK), P Dillibabu (CPM) and K Krishnasamy (PT) said that if Karnataka went ahead with the construction of the dam, it would affect a cultivation area of 36,000 acres and the people in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai and Cuddalore districts. They said the government should take immediate steps to prevent Karnataka’s move.
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