India, Feb. 15 -- Kerala has secured approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to erect a check dam across the Silandhi river in Vattavada village in the hill district of Idukki, which is likely to lead to the eruption of another interstate water dispute.

Ever since the idea was mooted two years ago, Tamil Nadu has been vehemently objecting to the move, warning that it will disrupt the inflow to the Amaravathy Dam. It contends that this could spell disaster for over 55,000 acres of farmland in the Tiruppur and Karur districts and put drinking water supplies of thousands of residents in the region at risk.

The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) confirmed that the NBWL has given the green light to use 0.0442 hectares of forest land f...