Farmers from the Cauvery delta districts, particularly Thanjavur and Nagapattinam, on Monday demanded that the Tamil Nadu government provide adequate compensation amid poor rainfall and Karnataka’s alleged failure to release sufficient water to the state.
Farmers representing the Desiya Thennindhiya Nathigal Innaipu Vivasayigal Sangam staged a protest by burying themselves in sand near the banks of the Cauvery river in Tiruchirappalli, seeking the intervention of chief minister C Joseph Vijay.
Flaying the Karnataka government for allegedly not implementing Supreme Court orders, the association’s president P Ayyakannu claimed that it was refusing to release even 3,500 cusecs of water.
“Today, due to heavy rains in Kerala, there are floods. That Kerala water should ideally flow into Tamil Nadu’s Bhavanisagar Dam, but it is flowing into the Kabini Dam instead because of the politics. Now, the Kabini Dam is completely full. So, they (Karnataka government) are releasing 25,000 cusecs of water from Kabini—simply because they don’t want the people of Karnataka to suffer,” Ayyakannu told reporters.
Criticising Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar’s government, he said, “we are holding this protest by burying in the sand against a government that is trying to kill us.”
{{/usCountry}}Criticising Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar’s government, he said, “we are holding this protest by burying in the sand against a government that is trying to kill us.”
{{/usCountry}}Demanding ₹1 crore compensation from the Karnataka government, he said, “chief minister (C Joseph Vijay) must take immediate steps to secure compensation for the farmers.”
Meanwhile, the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged a protest in Thanjavur led by Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin. Holding party flags, DMK cadres raised slogans and demonstrated against the government.
Targeting the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government, Stalin accused it of betraying farmers through “negligence and arrogance”.
“These rulers are the sole reason why even on the day of Aadi Perukku (a traditional festival in Tamil Nadu), the Cauvery river looks like a dried-up wasteland,” he said.
“While the farmers who feed the nation are drowned in tears, the chief minister is busy posting reels,” Stalin said.
He demanded that the government waive all agricultural loans, block Karnataka’s attempt to construct the dam at Mekedatu and declare the delta districts “drought-affected areas”.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) also demanded compensation for affected farmers.
“We urge the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam coalition government to immediately provide compensation to the farmers whose paddy crops have withered and been affected due to lack of water,” AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said.
Noting that water is released from the Mettur dam every year on June 12 for kuruvai paddy cultivation, he said the delay had affected delta farmers dependent on irrigation across 1.85 lakh acres.
“Due to the lack of water kuruvai paddy crops cultivated in approximately 1 lakh acre land across Delta districts have withered causing farmers to lose their livelihoods,” he said.
Palaniswami demanded that the TVK government send revenue and agriculture officials to inspect affected farmland, provide ₹25,000 per acre in compensation and ensure uninterrupted free three-phase electricity for agriculture for 24 hours a day to protect the remaining paddy crops.