The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam and the Anaithu Vivasaya Sangamgalin Kootamaippu led by its general secretary P.R. Pandian, installed a ‘plaque’ to declare their intent to construct a dam at Rasimanal here off Biligudulu to counter Karnataka’s ‘apathy’ to the woes of the farmers of Tamil Nadu.
Farmers affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam took out a rally from Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri, and crossed into Krishnagiri to reach Rasimanal near Biligudulu.
Rasimanal, was once proposed as a site for a hydel dam project, but it never took off lest it would violate the inter-state water sharing agreements between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the past. However, the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam has been vociferous in its demand for the dam at Rasimanal in the wake of Karnataka’s project for a dam across River Cauvery at Mekadatu.
The farmers’ association began the rally at Poompuhar in Nagapattinam on Monday, where the Cauvery meets the sea. Collecting bricks from Poompuhar, the farmers reached Hogenakkal and Rasimanal. Led by Mr. Pandian, the farmers got into the Cauvery at Rasimanal and raised slogans.
Speaking from atop a rock in the river, Mr. Pandian said the storage capacity of Stanley Reservoir at Mettur was 93.47 tmc. A dam with a storage capacity of 100 tmc could be built at Rasimanal, to store excess water from Stanley Reservoir. When the water level fell in Stanley Reservoir, water from the reservoir at Rasimanal could be released to enable cultivation in the Delta region, he said.
“Every year, excess water was being let out into the sea. A dam at Rasimanal will enable storage and make up for the shortfall in summer,” Mr. Pandian said. According to him, Karnataka should not resist this plan because it could tap the water for hydel power generation on the other side of the reservoir.
