Police personnel of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been deployed at the Kanakanasamma temple zone, on the banks of Palar river near Kuppam (in Chittoor district) to avert any untoward turn of events, in the aftermath of sporadic protests elsewhere in the western districts of Tamil Nadu, following allegations that Andhra Pradesh irrigation officials had increased the height of checkdams on Palar river, endangering the interests of Tamil Nadu farmers. This development has resulted in an uneasy calm at the tri-State junction, connecting AP, TN and Karnataka.
For record, the Andhra Pradesh irrigation officials had categorically denied the allegations. In recent days, the local revenue and Panchayat Raj officials in Kuppam mandal conducted tenders for the ensuing “Adi Padinettu” jatara ritual-related works such as parking, stalls etc. This resulted in the Tamil Nadu losing an annual revenue of Rs. 50 lakh, which facility was being enjoyed since three decades, despite the location of the temple in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The irrigation officials maintain that some miscreants had deliberately created rumours that Andhra Pradesh had increased the height of check dams, to retaliate Tamil Nadu’s loss of revenue at the temple.
TN leaders visit spot
In this backdrop, on Saturday, political leaders in batches from Tamil Nadu visited the temple zone and the check dam under repair on the border. DMK legislator from Tirupattur (TN), Nalla Durai, paid a visit to the area. His visit was followed by the BJP’s Vellore district (TN) leader Venkatesh; and a delegation of former MLAs of PMK — Raja, Mahendra, Palani and Natarajan.
The PMK leaders and their supporters raised slogans against the Andhra Pradesh government, demanding it “not to increase the height of check dams on the Palar river”.
The District Revenue Officer (DRO) from Vellore (TN) Manivannan also visited the spot, but declined to make any comment.
Meanwhile, a tense situation is prevailing at the border area between Kanakanasamma temple and Timmampeta in Tamil Nadu in the aftermath of mild protests at the border villages located on the Tamil Nadu side. Villagers led by a TN-based priest attached to Kanakanasamma temple and his brother allegedly felled trees, blocking roads in Awara Kuppam and other TN hamlets on Friday.
