The Hindu Business Line : Kerala Govt to take up water shortfall issue with TN

THE Kerala Government will talk to the Tamil Nadu Government on the shortfall in the release of water to the State from the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project.

The Water Resources Minister, Mr Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, told the State Assembly on Friday that the agreement between the two Governments envisaged that Kerala would get 7.25 tmc of water from the project a year. However, during the current year, it had received only 5.06 tmc till January.

The Minister said that the flow of water had completely stopped from March 7. The State Irrigation Chief Engineer had already had talks with his counterpart in Tamil Nadu on the matter.

The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, said in reply to a question that there were 4,86,131 employees on the Government's direct payroll accounting for a monthly salary outgo of Rs 488.35 crore. The details about the employees in quasi-government organisations and public sector undertakings and the salary outgo in respect of them were being collected, he said.

Research centres: On the establishment of new scientific research centres in the State, the Chief Minister said that steps were being initiated for the establishment of Kerala School of Mathematics in Kozhikode.

Besides, the Non-resident Keralites' Affairs Department (NORKA) proposed the setting up of a Nanotechnology Centre, based on techno-economic feasibility study, with investments from NRIs.

Budget services: Later, the Chief Minister said in reply to a submission that he would again take up with Air India the demand for operating budget services in the Kerala-Gulf sector.

He said that the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India had assured him recently that budget services would be operated from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode airports and that three aircraft would be stationed in these airports for the purpose.

Illegal sand mining: In reply to another submission, the Chief Minister warned of stern action against those who indulged in illegal land sand mining. The licences of those who violated the guidelines of the Mining and Geological Department and the directions of the High Court in the matter would be cancelled, he said.

Mr Chandy said that necessary instructions had been issued to examine whether the licence-holders were adhering to the guidelines. The mining licences given to five persons in Kottayam district were cancelled after they were found to have violated the guidelines.

The Government had received complaints from the other parts of the State as well and action would be taken on them, he added.

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