TIRUCHY/NAGAPATTINAM/BENGALURU: Farmers and farmer leaders across delta districts of Tamil Nadu condemned Karnataka Chief Minister’s remark on Mekedatu dam and prayed that the Union government should not give clearance for the project.
After the National Green Tribunal Principal Bench, New Delhi, directed the NGT Chennai bench to close its proceedings against Mekedatu dam project, on Thursday, Karanataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that the works would start soon after getting sanction from the Centre.
He said that the project, which aims to generate 4,000 MW of power, would supply drinking water to Bengaluru and the water would not be diverted for irrigation purposes. Condemning it, farmers in Tiruchy petitioned the Prime Minister.
In this, P Ayyakannu, presidents of President of Association for Interlinking National-South Indian Rivers, said building the dam would led to further reduce agriculture area to mere 1 lakh acre. Kaundampatti R Subramaniam, farmer and deputy secretary of Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, said, “If a new reservoir is built, even the excess water that they release during monsoon season will not provided to TN.”
On Sunday, dozens of farmers protested near Nagapattinam against the Karnataka government’s plans to set up the reservoir. They assembled at the regulator near Karunganni village in the district and demonstrated with black flags.
“The construction of a new reservoir upstream of the river would affect the water entitlement of the farmers downstream. A tail-end district like Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu would be affected severely,” said S Srithar, a representative from Thamizhaga Kaviri Vivasaayigal Sangam.
Kumaraswamy smells ‘conspiracy’ to block project
Meanwhile, Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday questioned why the Union government had not accorded permission for Mekedatu project across Cauvery river.
He asked if it succumbed to the pressure from TN government against the project. Kumaraswamy said there was a nagging suspicion that they had conspired to block the project.