Lok Sabha Question No. 243 (STARRED), answered on 2021-08-05
Subject: Construction of Dam across Markandeya River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Andimuthu Raja, A. Chellakumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *243

ANSWERED ON 05.08 .2021

## CONSTRUCTION OF DAM ACROSS MARKANDEYA RI VER

- *243. SHRI A. RAJA DR. A. CHALLAKUMAR

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government of Tamil Nadu has raised any objection on the construction of Markandeya river in Karnataka which stops the flow of water in Thenpennai - Palar inter - l nking in Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Union Government proposes to constitute a tribunal to resolve this issue a

State of Karnataka to stop all the ongoing works in the Pennaiyar basin;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for delay in constituting the tribunal; and

- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI

(SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (e)

A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## ANSWER

.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTs  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION  NO.  *243  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  05.08.2021  ON  ' CONSTRUCTION  OF  DAM ACROSS MARKANDEYA RI VER ' RAISED BY SHRI, A. RAJA AND DR. A. CHELLAKUMAR, M.Ps.

(a) to (e) Government of Tamil Nadu submitted a complaint dated 30.11.2019 under section 3 of the -State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (the Act), requesting the Union Government to constitut under  section  4  of  the  Act  for  adjudication  of w er  disputes  of  the  inter - Sta river Pennaiyar,  also known as  Thenpennai/Ponnaiyar.  In  their  complaint,  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  has  also  obj construction of a dam across Markandeya river, a tributary of Pennaiyar river, inter alia m would block and store the natural flows of Markandeya river and no water will flow to the down State of Tamil Nadu.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Ponnaiyar (Nedungal) -Palar intra - State link project (called as Thenpennai - Palar interlinking) was prepared by National Water Development Agency (NWDA) based on the request of Government of Tamil Nadu and circulated to party States in August 2018. The proposal envisages  diversion  of  waters  from  Nedungal  anicut  (located  downstream  of  existing  Krish across Ponnaiy ar river) through a link canal to feed enroute system tanks for irrigation and the groundwater in the enroute area of the link etc.

Subsequent  to  the  complaint  of  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  dated  30.11.2019,  a  nego committee under the chairmanship of Chairman, Central Water Commission (CWC) was constituted 20.01.2020  under  section  4  of  the  Act.  Two  meetings  of  the  negotiation  committee  were negotiation committee was of the considered view that any further negotiations by th is committee would not be useful and as such, no further meeting of the committee was proposed. To proceed fu issue,  CWC,  vide letters  dated  16.03.2021  and  08.07.2021  requested  party  States  i.e.  Tam Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Union T erritory of Puducherry to furnish some additional information. The concerned States /UT are required to respond in the matter.

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