VELLORE: Vellore farmers have expressed disappointment over the State government’s failure to allocate funds for the much-clamoured Thenpennai-Palar interlinking project in the interim Budget presented on Tuesday.
‘Palar’ AC Venkatesan, secretary, Coordination Committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations, said, “We expected the State government to allocate a considerable amount of money to kickstart the Thenpennai-Palar interlinking project. But the interim Budget has destroyed our hopes.”
Pointing out at the condition of waterbodies in the region, particularly the Thenpennai and Palar rivers, he said, “The failure to allocate funds for the ambitious scheme showed the government’s lack of interest in improving the water resources in northern parts of the State.
We appreciate the government’s commitment in carrying out the river interlinking and irrigation projects in the southern and western parts of the State, but it should also focus on the development of the northern regions,” said Venkatesan. The general public and the farmers in these districts feel the government has ignored their interests, he rued.
‘Palleri’ K Raja, district president, Thamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, said, “The government has been making many promises on implementing the project. But its failure to allocate funds in the interim Budget proves that it has failed to live up to its words.” We have been waiting for years for the interlinking project to be implemented, which would thereby save northern Tamil Nadu from falling into desertification. We are left disappointed now, he said.