Chennai sources stated that Tamilnadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday urged his kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan to extend cooperation to store water to the full level in the mullaperiyar dam. When welcoming kerala's gesture to supply water to Tamilnadu, the chief minister said the neighboring state had only offered two MLD (million litre per day) for a day whereas every day supply would help. He said "He thanked the kerala Chief Minister, but 2 MLD water will not be sufficient. We are everyday supplying 525 MLD water (in Chennai) and if 2 MLD water could be given every day, it will be useful for the people".
He added Poondi, Chembarambakkam, Sholavaram and Red Hills reservoirs here have dried up and despite that supplies were being made to the people. Furthermore pointing to the Supreme Court judgment on the Mullaiperiyar dam which had said that water could be stored to the full level of 152 ft after carrying out strengthening works, he alleged that kerala, however, scuttled refurbishment works.
He said "We need every drop of water," addressing a press conference here adding people in five districts, including Theni and Ramanathapuram was dependent, on Mullaiperiyar water for their livelihood. Moreover be appealed to kerala to extend cooperation to store full water in the Mullaiperiyar dam. Also, he appealed to the people to use water judiciously in view of the shortage situation.
