A petition in this regard was submitted during the grievance redressal meeting convened by the two district administrations on Friday. In Thanjavur, a group of farmers, who resorted to a novel protest beating the stomach with sticks, submitted a complaint petition to the collector claiming that desilting works were either not taken up or done in a poor manner by the Public Works Department (PWD). The shoddy work of the PWD officials has hindered free flow of water in many canals in the district. 

The farmers also blamed the PWD for the breach in the Grand Anaicut canal because of which the discharge has been suspended. In an effort to pacify the farmers, PWD officials said that water has already been released into the Kattalai Mettu Vaikkal and it would reach the lakes in Sengippatti area in three weeks. The water would be released into Uyyakkondan canal after the desilting works were completed, officials added.

Meanwhile, another section of farmers, holding placards with ‘namam’ sign, claimed that they have been given a raw deal by the Central government and charged that the government has betrayed them even in the crop insurance scheme. Demanding a special Samba package, the farmers said they were yet to receive arrears from the private sugar mills in the district for 20162018. 

Later they went out of the meeting hall and shouted slogans highlighting their demands. Elsewhere in Tiruchy, farmers made a similar complaint about water released from the Mettur dam not reaching the tail end regions in the district. Tiruchy Collector K Rajamani told them that the Kudimaramathu works was halted four days back as water has been released in all the canals.