Farmers stage protest

Twenty nine farmers owing allegiance to the Tamizhaga Puratchikara Vivasayigal Sangam were taken into custody by the police after they attempted to stage a protest on the dry Cauvery riverbed near Grand Anicut on Tuesday in protest against Karnataka’s failure to release water to Tamil Nadu as per the Supreme Court directive.

Condemning the Karnataka government for the “scant regard” that it has shown to the Supreme Court order, the protesters demanded that the Cauvery Management Board take immediate steps to release Tamil Nadu’s due share of water in the Cauvery.

They also demanded that the Cauvery delta be declared as a protected agriculture zone and waiver of all crop loans as farmers were reeling under drought-like conditions.

The protesters, led by M. Pugazhendi, coordinator of the organisation, took out a short march before their symbolic protest of sowing seeds on the dry riverbed.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers led by Cauvery Dhanapalan, general secretary, Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, staged a candle-light protest near a regulator on the Odampokki river to register their grief over the failure to release water from Mettur dam on the usual date – June 12 – for the seventh consecutive year. The protesters condemned the State and Central governments for their failure to protect the livelihood of the delta farmers.

Mr. Dhanapalan criticised the State government for failing to mount enough pressure on the Centre to ensure release of water from Karnataka.