TIRUPPUR: The TVK candidate for the Dharapuram bypoll, P Sathyabama, was met with protests by around 100 farmers during her campaign in the constituency on Sunday, who condemned her for “exerting pressure” on the authorities to release water from the Thirumoorthy reservoir to the Uppar dam in violation of norms.
A section of farmers in Dharapuram is dependent on the water from the Uppar dam for irrigating their farmlands stretching over around 6,100 acres. The Uppar dam, in turn, is fed by the surplus water from the Thirumoorthy reservoir under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP).
Complaining of drought-like conditions prevailing in areas dependent on the Uppar dam, farmers in the region, including Dharapuram, have been urging the government to release water. Farmers in the PAP ayacut area, however, oppose this, saying that the water level in the Thirumoorthy dam is insufficient for release to the Uppar reservoir. Further, they pointed out that they themselves were yet to benefit from PAP water which is usually released annually on August 15.
On September 10, the PAP’s Project Committee alleged that the water resources department (WRD), under political pressure, sent a recommendation to the government to release water to the Uppar dam in “violation of norms”. They also alleged Sathyabama, who won from Dharapuram in the April Assembly election on an AIADMK ticket and eventually joined the TVK, was behind it. WRD officials, however, denied the charges.
Against this backdrop, when Sathyabama on Sunday visited Veruvedampalayam in Kundadam falling under Dharapuram to campaign for the bypolls, around 100 local farmers directly benefiting under PAP raised slogans against her for attempting to forcefully release water from the Thirumoorthy dam.
The protesters chanted that PAP farmers will not vote for Sathyabama and criticised her as a PAP traitor.
Sathyabama, standing in her campaign vehicle, said, “I have not said that water should not be provided to PAP. I will not betray the people of my constituency. I have not spoken to any officials regarding PAP water. Surplus water is being stolen from PAP. I made an attempt to identify it.”
Despite this, farmers continued to raise slogans against Sathyabama, following which she left the spot.
Sathyabama didn’t respond to TNIE’s calls for comment.
