Farmers staging a protest in Kallanai (Grand Anaicut) on Tuesday as the water failed to flow from Mettur reservoir on the customary date of June 12 for the seventh consecutive year | Express
THANJAVUR: Farmers staged a protest on the Cauvery river bed in Kallanai and Kumbakonam on Tuesday, as another June 12, the customary date for water release from Mettur dam passed without water being released for taking up kuruvai irrigation in the delta districts.
Members of Tamizhaga Puratchikara Vivasayigal Sangam, led by its coordinator Pugazhendi, had announced a protest by sowing paddy seeds in Cauvery river bed at Kallanai regulator (Grand Anaicut), on Tuesday, even as the State government announced that water would not be released on June 12, the customary date of releasing water for Kuruvai season. Subsequently, a large posse of police was posted on the banks of Kallanai, on Tuesday.
Undeterred, the farmers led by Pugazhendhi got into the Cauvery river at Kallanai and raised slogans demanding release of water for Kuruvai cultivation. They pointed out that this was the seventh consecutive year in which Kuruvai cultivation could not be taken up due to non-release of water. They then sowed paddy seeds on the river bed as a mark of protest. Police arrested 26 protesting farmers. “The Government should waive all farm loans as it could not provide water when required,” Pugazhendhi said. The farmers raised slogans demanding to declare Cauvery delta districts as a protected agriculture zone.
In, Kumbakonam, members of Cauvery irrigation share- cropping farmers association, led by its secretary Amirtha Kannan of Manikkudi, staged protest in Cauvery river bed holding candles in their hands. They prayed for rains in the catchment areas of Cauvery and sought the flow of water into Tamil Nadu during this season for good cultivation and a bountiful yield. They raised slogans demanding Karnataka Government to release water due for Tamil Nadu immediately.
Protest seeking arrest of Maniyarasan assailants
Members of various political parties, outfits on Tuesday staged protests demanding arrest of the culprits who attacked P Maniyarasan, president of Tamil Desiya Periyakkam and also co-ordinator of the Cauvery Rights Retrieval Committee (CRRC). In Thanjavur, the protest was staged in front of Thanjavur railway Junction. The protesters decried the attack on Maniyarasan and called upon police to arrest the real culprits. The protest was led by N Vaigarai, district secretary of the Periyakkam.
Those who participated in the protest included Ayyanapuram C Murugesan, the General secretary of the Tamilar Desiya Munnani, S Simiyon Xavierraj of IJK, T Manimozhian of Tamil Nadu farmers association, D Mathivanan of AITUC and G Tirunavukkarasu of Organic farmers movement. Similar protest was held at Sanoorappatti in Thanjavur-Tiruchy road.
Storage decides release
June 12 is the date when the sluices of the Stanley reservoir in Mettur are lifted, beginning the onset of paddy cultivation season in the delta districts. But the dam has been opened on that date only on 16 occasions in its 82-year history, due to poor storage
