TN ministerial team to visit Kerala on Monday for Anamalayar-Nallaru project talks

Chennai: A delegation of Tamil Nadu ministers is expected to travel to Kerala on Monday to continue discussions on the Anamalayar-Nallaru project, a longstanding demand of farmers seeking improved irrigation facilities in Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Erode districts.

According to reports, the delegation will comprise state Water Resources Minister Anand, Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan, Public Welfare Minister Arunraj and Tourism Minister Rajesh Kumar.

The ministers are expected to meet Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and the state’s Irrigation Minister to discuss the proposed project and its implementation.

The visit, scheduled for October 5, is intended to carry forward discussions between the two states. However, the report does not specify the meeting venue, the detailed agenda or whether any formal agreement is expected during the talks.

Farmers in the three western Tamil Nadu districts have long sought implementation of the Anamalayar-Nallaru project to strengthen irrigation facilities. Their demand forms the central backdrop to the proposed ministerial visit, which will bring the issue before Kerala’s political leadership.

The delegation’s discussions are expected to focus on the project’s implementation. The available information does not indicate whether the ministers will present a revised proposal, seek specific clearances or discuss a timetable for further negotiations.

With the Water Resources Minister forming part of the delegation, the proposed meeting will provide an opportunity for direct discussions on the irrigation initiative. The participation of three other ministers also places the visit within a broader ministerial engagement between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

For farmers awaiting progress, the immediate significance of the visit lies in the continuation of discussions on a demand that has remained pending for years.

The outcome will depend on what the two sides agree to take forward after their meeting. No details have been provided on the project’s estimated cost, funding arrangements, construction schedule or the envisaged irrigation coverage.

The report also does not mention any decision already reached between the two governments on these aspects. The planned visit, therefore, represents another round of discussions on the proposal.

Whether it produces a concrete decision, a further meeting or additional examination of the project will become clear only after the talks. The focus now turns to Monday’s expected meeting with CM Satheesan and the Irrigation Minister, as Tamil Nadu seeks to advance discussions on the farmers’ longstanding irrigation demand.

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