ERODE: Farmers on Monday reiterated their opposition to the modernisation of the LBP canal and demanded cancelling the GO issued in this regard. "Our demand is that no new concrete constructions should come up in the LBP canal," said DMK's environment wing secretary and farmer Karthikeya Sivasenapathy.
Hearing petitions regarding the issue, the Madras High Court directed the government to start work on the project from May 1. Farmers who benefit from the canal currently oppose this saying the modernisation woork will deplete ground water,
A meeting was held at Mettukadai in Erode on Monday by Lower Bhavani Irrigation Conservation Movement. All farmers' associations opposed to the project participated in this. Speaking to reporters, after the meeting, Sivasenapathy said, "The project was brought proposed by chief minister Jayalalithaa in 2013. It was dropped due to farmers' opposition.
Edappadi K Palaniswami revived it in 2020 even though 98 % of the farmers benefiting under the LBP canal are against it. The HC order has come as a shock. We urge the state government to cancel the GO. No new concrete constructions should come up in the LBP canal. It is sufficient to renovate old structures." Farmers from Erode, Tirupur and Karur districts have participated in the meeting.