Aggrieved Thalaignayiru villagers mull future course of action

The Save Thalaignayiru Movement has planned to convene a meeting of farmers of Thalaignayiru and surrounding villages to take a decision on the future course of action regarding shifting the site for construction of regulators under the Asia Bank Development-funded scheme in the village.

According to a plan by the special division of Public Works Department, two regulators will be constructed both on the western side of the Vedaranyam Canal and the Kallimedu. But, the villagers have been pleading for the construction of the regulators at the deep eastern side of the proposed sites.

Although the Movement had launched a series of agitations, including fast, stir and human chain in support of their demand, ‘neither the Public Works Department officials nor the the district administration had paid heed to our demand’, says Somu. Ilango, convenor of the Movement.

C. Subramanian, a member of Movement, said that the proposed regulator would do more harm than good, particularly in Kallimedu area. Presently, the PWD has planned to construct a regulator on the western side near the Sri Kaleeswari Amman temple. On the other hand, the regulator should be constructed on the eastern side near the ‘55 kan palam’.

“What is the use of constructing a regulator after allowing a vast sheet of brackish water into the land?” he asked. The underground table would be worst hit in and around Kallimedu, he added.

A meeting of farmers would be held sometime next week when future course of action would be decided, they said. Steps for impressing upon the State government to shift the site would be taken at the meeting.