KOCHI: The state government is keeping its fingers crossed on the possible outcome of the ministerial-level talks with Tamil Nadu on the river water disputes , to be held in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday.

Kerala wants the discussions to be focused on the drinking water crisis in Palakkad district and areas like Coimbatore but Tamil Nadu is known to have suggested that the talks must also cover issues like its demand for more water from Neyyar river for irrigation purposes.

"We may not be able to discuss issues like Neyyar river water dispute at this meeting as they are under the consideration of the Supreme Court ," said P J Joseph, the state water resources minister who will be leading the state team at the talks.

The state's demand is that Tamil Nadu should release the balance of annual quota of water from Parambikkulam reservoir, stipulated under the Parambikkulam-Aliyar Project agreement, into Chittur river in Palakkad. It argues that nearly two lakh people in Chittur taluk will be facing acute drinking water shortage unless Tamil Nadu releases water from Parambikkulam.

Tamil Nadu is demanding that Kerala should release more water from Shiruvani dam to mitigate the drinking water problems in areas like Coimbatore.

Kerala might consider this demand favourably if Tamil Nadu is willing to release more water from Parambikkulam, state government officials said.

Tamil Nadu has deputed a 15-member delegation under PWD minister K V Ramalingam for the talks. It will include three IAS officers and several engineers. Both the states have communicated their wish list of points to be included in the agenda of the meeting. Joseph has convened a high-level meeting on Sunday morning to finalise the strategy to be adopted in the talks.

Interestingly, Kerala has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a directive to Tamil Nadu to release more water from Parambikkulam while the latter has announced its decision to approach the Supreme Court to restrain Kerala from constructing any more dams across Shiruvani river .

