Tamil Nadu would approach the Supreme Court and will not be a ‘silent spectator’ if the Kerala Government went ahead with its plan to build a dam across the Siruvani river, the Public Works Minister, Mr K. V. Ramalingam, has said.

“Tamil Nadu will not give up its rights with regard to Siruvani and Mullaperiyar,” he told presspersons here yesterday.

He said Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, had written to the Prime Minister asking him to advise Kerala not to proceed with the irrigation scheme or any other project on the Siruvani in violation of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal’s final order.

Ms Jayalalithaa had asked the Centre not to accord it technical clearance as it “violates” the final order.

Tamil Nadu would approach the Supreme Court if the Kerala Government went ahead with its plan to construct a reservoir across the Siruvani at Attapadi, affecting the interest of its people, the Minister said.

Tamil Nadu and Kerala are already locked in a dispute over the Mullaperiyar dam issue. Kerala is insisting on building a new dam in place of the existing 116-year-old structure, to which Tamil Nadu is opposed.

Mr Ramalingam earlier inaugurated the ‘Clima Adapt Scheme’ jointly implemented by the Public Works Department and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to improve paddy cultivation and production in line with climatic conditions.

The Minister said Norway had granted Rs 6 crore for the scheme under which about 800 hectares in Kalingarayan ayacut in Erode district and Ponanaiyaru in Tiruchirapalli district would be taken up for paddy cultivation.

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