MDMK leader Vaiko on Sunday expressed the party’s solidarity with the farmers of Perundurai and Chennimalai areas who are opposed to the State government’s sanction to Coco Cola for starting a bottling unit at the SIPCOT industrial estate.
Addressing reporters here, Mr. Vaiko announced his participation in a rally and a public meeting scheduled for April 30 at Perundurai in support of the farmers.
The State government has provided 71 acres on lease for a period of 99 years for just Rs. 1 per acre and supply 20 lakh litres of water every day at four paisa per litre for the MNC to earn several crores at the cost of farmers, Mr. Vaiko alleged.
The farmers were already affected by contamination of air and groundwater owing to improper disposal of effluents generated by dyeing, tanning and rubber industries on the SIPCOT premises. Barring the ruling party, people in Erode district had joined hands against the Coco Cola plant rising above political, caste and religious consideration, Mr. Vaiko said.
He welcomed the Tamil Nadu MPs putting up a united front and calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protest Karnataka’s dam projects at Mekedatu.
