Chennai, Jun 20 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan for maintaining the full reservoir level at the Siruvani dam.

In the letter on Sunday, Stalin called on Vijayan to provide a positive response as the water shortage in Coimbatore and its surrounding areas were turning into a major cause of concern.

He said that the Kerala irrigation department was maintaining the maximum water level at 877.00m instead of the full reservoir level of 878.50 m as stipulated in the interstate agreement.

Stalin also pointed out that lowering the water level by 1.50 m was led to a shortage of 122.05 million cubic feet (mc ft), which was 19 per cent of the total storage of the dam.

He said that this makes it difficult for the water needs of the people of Coimbatore and its adjacent areas.

Stalin added that in the past six years, the state has received only 0.484 tmc ft to 1.128 tmc ft and indicated that this was much lower than 1.30 tmc ft as specified in the interstate agreement.

He further pointed out that the officials of the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department had taken up this matter to their counterparts in Kerala but to no avail.

He requested the Kerala Chief Minister to intervene in the matter and help Coimbatore overcome its water woes.

The Siruvani dam located in Palakkad district of Kerala across the Siruvani river was constructed by the Kerala Public works Department but the funds were made available by the Tamil Nadu government.

The dam was primarily constructed for the supply of drinking water to Coimbatore town which is located 45 km from the dam.