SALEM: A memorial with a life-size bronze statue will be constructed for former Minister S S Ramasami Padayatchi in Cuddalore district, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday.
After performing special poojas in Cauvery river, the chief minister released water from the Mettur dam for delta irrigation on Thursday.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the event, he pointed out that the present government and former chief ministers M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa had fought a legal battle for 48 years for the Cauvery cause. In this regard, Palaniswami also praised former CM Jayalalithaa’s 80 hours of fasting at Marina Beach in the 1990s.
“On the second day when Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital, she instructed me and the officials concerned to meet the then Union Minister of Water Resources Uma Bharati regarding Cauvery water issue and gave a letter on how officials must explain the legal points to the Union minister,” he said, adding that there are several leaders in the country, but Jayalalithaa fought for justice in Cauvery issue even when she was in her deathbed.
Palaniswami said that it was with the blessing of Jayalalithaa and the rain god that monsoon rain lashed heavily and forced Karnataka to release water.“Unlike last month, when the dam was dried up, it has been receiving 1,05,000 cusecs of water now, eventually nearing its full capacity. This has happened after the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee. This is a historical incident and a victory for AIADMK government,” he added.
Refuting the criticisms put forth by the opposition parties regarding the Cauvery water issue, the Chief Minister said, “We have followed the path of MGR and J Jayalalithaa and fought a legal battle. Now, the opposition parties can’t speak anything as dams in the State are reaching its brim.”