Kerala responds to TN's demand, increases water level in Siruvani

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday talked to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin and said the government increased the water level in the Siruvani Dam.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday assured his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin that steps will be taken to provide maximum water supply to Tamil Nadu from Siruvani Dam in Palakkad district of the state, even as the government increased the water level in the reservoir.

Stalin had a telephonic conversation with Vijayan and thanked him over the matter.

While Vijayan wanted a chief ministerial level discussion on the matter, Stalin said he looked forward to resolve issues with the spirit of cooperation.

A day after the Tamil Nadu CM wrote to Vijayan urging him to maintain storage in Siruvani Dam up to the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) to meet the water requirements of Coimbatore city in and its suburbs in his state, Vijayan responded saying the water level in the dam was increased to 75 MLD (million litres a day) from 45 MLD on Sunday and further to 103 MLD on Monday.

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Noting that the maximum possible discharge quantity is 103 MLD as per the design of the dam, Vijayan said the matter would be discussed in detail soon and a consensus would be reached.

"Enhanced water release from Siruvani dam to 103 MLD, the maximum possible discharge quantity, from June 20. Requesting @CMOTamilnadu level meet at the earliest to discuss further", the chief minister said in a tweet later.