A meeting of the State’s farmers’ associations on Saturday, in which representatives of six political parties participated, resolved to meet Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
“We managed to meet the Karnataka Chief Minister. Will we able to meet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister,” asked K. Balakrishnan, president of the CPI(M) affiliated Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association. He was referring to their meeting with the Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, on August 25 when he declined to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
The farmers’ associations also want Ms. Jayalalithaa to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the Centre takes steps to resolve the issue.
“The Tamil Nadu government went to the Supreme Court only after we held protests on August 19 demanding release of Cauvery water… Regardless of the immediate solutions, the Centre should constitute the two tribunal-mandated bodies to share Cauvery water,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
The Supreme Court is to hear an urgent plea by Tamil Nadu seeking the release of 50.052 tmc of Cauvery water, on September 2. Meanwhile, the associations decided to meet again on September 10 to take stock of the situation. “ We will decide whether or not to go ahead with a massive shutdown in the second week of September. Not just the Cauvery, but also the Mullaiperiyar and the Palar issues will be on the agenda,” said Mr. Balakrishnan.
The meeting also urged the Tamil Nadu government not to allow the construction of dam at Mekedatu. Saturday’s meeting, held at the AICUF House in Nungambakkam, was attended by representatives of farmers’ associations affiliated to the DMK, the CPI(M), the CPI, the VCK, the MDMK and the TMC.
