THANJAVUR
A group of farmers staged a symbolic protest by dumping paddy seeds at the portico of the Office of the Superintending Engineer, Public Works Department, Thanjavur, on Saturday against non-release of water for irrigation in a channel in Thiruvaiyaru block.
The farmers from Kandiyur and surrounding areas raised slogans condemning the officials for not making water available in the Kandiyur, Thiruthukkal, Sankarakulam and Thiruvalampozhil channels branching off from the Kudamuruti river as the farmers in Kandiyur, Naducauvery, Kattukottai, Thirupoonthuruthi and 11 other villages had raised nursery on 100 acres.
The nursery bed turned dry since the required quantum of water was not released, they alleged and condemned the PWD officials for eclipsing the real issue by indicting the farmers that the latter had taken up kuruvai cultivation in an elevated area.
“If we can cultivate samba crop on the same land by tapping the surface water why not kuruvai. Had the officials had released sufficient quantum of water in Kudamuruti river we may not have faced this problem”, said P. Sugumaran, Joint Secretary, Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.
The demonstrators who were pacified by the PWD and police officials left the premises after presenting a petition.
