Farmers’ representatives in Tiruchi district have urged the State government to take steps to prevent Karnataka overnment from going ahead with its plans to construct a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu.
Raising the issue at the monthly farmers grievances meeting here on Thursday, R. Subramanian, deputy secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association, said that Tamil Nadu has to thwart Karnataka’s plan to build the dam as it could potentially turn the Cauvery delta in Tamil Nadu into a desert. The State government should pursue the matter with the Supreme Court with vigour to stop Karnataka from going ahead with its plans, he said.
Echoing his view Ayilai Siva Suriyan, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, affiliated to the Communist Party of India, condemned the Cauvery Water Management Authority for taking up the proposal to discuss and referring it back to the Central Water Commission. He accused the CWMA of acting in favour of Karnataka.
Onion procurement
R. Raja Chidambaram, State general secretary, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, called upon the district administration to take steps to ensure proper functioning of the primary processing centre for onions established at P.K. Agaram in the district. Although a contract was awarded to a private firm to run the centre, it has not been functional and was not to the benefit of small onion growers. He urged the Centre to fix the procurement price for small onions and procure the bulbs from farmers at ₹40 a kg.
N. Veerasekaran, State secretary, Bharathiya Kisan Sangam, called upon the Centre to assign a separate index number for export of small onions, distinct from that of the Bellary variety. He urged the State government to step up current discharge of water from the Mettur dam from 1,000 to 1,500 cusecs to meet the requirements of standing cash crops.
P. Viswanathan, president, Tamil Nadu Eri Mattrum Attru Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam, urged the district administration to ensure that the unfinished road structures, including overbridges and pillars erected for them, that were built on irrigation tanks for the proposed bypass in Tiruch as per a High Court order.
He demanded a CB-CID inquiry into allegations of corruption in the execution of the Kattalai High Level Canal renovation project, sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹335 crore. The project was executed only up to Inumbur Panikkampatti in Karur district and was not executed till Thayanur in Tiruchi district, he alleged.
A section of farmers, led by P. Ayyakannu, president, Desiya Thennindiya Nadigal Innaippu Vivsayigal Sangam, produced bunches of withered paddy plants and alleged that the crop on eight acres at Maravanur in Manapparai taluk had withered after spraying a pesticide bought from a private shop in Viralimalai and demanded action against the retailer.
Earlier, a cross-section of farmers’ representatives staged a brief demonstration in front of the Collector’s office, condemning the killing of man during Punjab farmers protest. M.P. Chinnadurai, district president, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, staged a brief protest alleging police high-handedness during his recent protest against encroachments on waterbodies.
