Members of various farmers’ organisations staged a picketing agitation in front of an office of the Water Resources Department (WRD) in Thanjavur on Thursday urging the State government to take steps to prevent Karnataka from going ahead with its proposal to build a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu.
The protest was called by the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Association of Tamil Nadu. Members of various farmers organisations, led by P.R. Pandian, committee president, marched from the Old Collector’s Office in the town to the office of the Superintending Engineer, WRD, Lower Cauvery Basin Circle, in the town. The police had put up steel barricades to block farmers from entering the WRD office.
The protesting farmers criticised the Centre and State governments for going along with the Karnataka’s “illegal” plan to build the reservoir and block the flow of surplus water to Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had failed to strongly oppose the Cauvery Water Management Authority decision to refer back the Karnataka proposal to build the reservoir at Mekedatu to the Central Water Commission for further action.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar were openly asserting that the dam would be built if the INDIA bloc comes to power. But Mr. Stalin, who claims to be the architect of the INDI Alliance, has not raised his voice against this, Mr. Pandian alleged.
Mr. Pandian demanded that the Centre grant permission to Tamil Nadu to build a dam across the river at Rasimanal.
P. Ayyakannu, president, Desiya Thennidia Nadigal Innaippu Vivasayigal Sangam, accused Karnataka of trying to destroy Tamil Nadu. Farmers were forced to take to the streets as both the Centre and Tamil Nadu governments had failed to question Karnataka on the issue.
