more-in Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board will soon pay ?2 crore to the Kerala Government through the Tamil Nadu Government as charges the former had incurred towards maintenance of Siruvani Reservoir. The news about the payment comes even as rumours were agog that the Kerala Government had threatened to stop the supply of Siruvani water because of failure to clear the dues in time. The board sources said that the Coimbatore Corporation, which is the beneficiary of the Siruvani water, had recently given it ?2 crore. It would soon send the same to the Tamil Nadu Government, which would then forward it to the Kerala Government. The board had also readied another ? 2 crore to be paid to the Kerala Government. This was part of the ?7 crore demand the Kerala Government had raised for taking up various maintenance works in the past couple of years. It was an annual affair in that the Kerala Government would, at the start of every financial year, present a demand for taking up various maintenance works – ensuring the safety of the dam, plugging leaks, construction of roads, culverts and repair to the in-take well. Though the Kerala Government would present a demand for around ?10 crore every year, the Tamil Nadu Government would only disburse the amount that the Kerala Government deemed to have actually incurred. For the expenses incurred, the Kerala Government would present an utilisation certificate, the sources said. For the past two years, the Kerala Government presented a bill for ?7 crore and the Tamil Nadu Government would be paying it. Therefore, it was wrong to allege that the Kerala Government had threatened to stop the supply of Siruvani water, because it was a routine affair, the sources added.

Stay updated with all the Coimbatore Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.