Is Andhra Pradesh planning check dams near Tamil Nadu border?

Water Resources Department of Tamil Nadu has made enquiries with the authorities in Andhra Pradesh about reports of the neighbouring State proposing to build check dams across the Lava and Nagari rivers

The Water Resources Department has initiated an inquiry with the Andhra Pradesh authorities on the reported move to construct storage structures in rivers that feed many waterbodies, including Poondi reservoir in Tiruvallur district, which caters to the drinking water needs of Chennai.

According to sources in the Water Resources Department, construction of storage structures in the waterways in Andhra Pradesh border would affect inflow into the Poondi reservoir. It was learnt that the Andhra Pradesh government has planned to build a check dam or create a waterbody in the Lava river, which is one of the tributaries of Nagari river originating in Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, another storage structure is being proposed across the Nagari river in Andhra Pradesh limits, about 10 km away from the Tamil Nadu border.

The storage structure across the Lava may be built in Andhra Pradesh, about 2-3 km upstream of Pallipattu in Tiruvallur district. The Lava is the lifeline for agriculture and drinking water needs of villages falling in Pallipattu and Tiruttani taluks along the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border. Besides feeding several waterbodies enroute, the surplus water from the Lava and the Nagari reach the Poondi reservoir.

The reservoir in Poondi is a major storage point for drinking water supply to Chennai. It mainly gets its inflow from Nagari and Nandi rivers during monsoon apart from Krishna water released from Andhra Pradesh in two spells every year.

If the authorities in Andhra Pradesh confirm the move, the State government would be apprised of the situation to decide on further course of action, the officials said.