Locals demand TNPL to stop using depleting groundwater in region

KARUR: Farmers staged a protest against the Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited's (TNPL) unit in Pugalur alleging that the unit was drawing huge amount of water from wells and bore wells without permission. The protesters even resorted to blocking the lorries from entering the factory's premises.With the Cauvery not getting inflow of water for more than three months, the locals said they are left to rely on groundwater for both irrigation and drinking water, said sources.

TNPL has been drawing water for its plant from tanker lorries in place of Cauvery water which they regularly take out. So, several hundreds of water lorries are being used to take water from many farming wells, bore wells and other drinking water sources from both Karur and Namakkal which has severely affected the levels underground.

Several farmers and people associated with the Cauvery Protection Association led by former MLA Sivasubramanian staged a protest in front of the TNPL plant on Thursday morning. They blocked the way for more than 50 lorries from entering the industrial area. Police and district administration officials reached the venue to pacify the protestors and the factory officials.

The protesters demanded the concerned department to take action against the water lorries transporting water without any official registrations. The people supplying water to the TNPL should also be punished, the agitators added. In the end, the district authorities organised a peace meeting between the protesters and TNPL officials on Monday evening to find a solution to the issue. With the meeting assured, the protesters left the place.