Farmers in the Cauvery delta districts have planned to intensify the protest against Karnataka’s proposal to build two reservoirs across the Cauvery at Mekedatu. The move would seriously affect the livelihood of the farmers in the lower riparian State, they said.
Swamimalai Vimalnathan, secretary of the Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Sangam, said, “Under the guise of hydroelectric project, Karnataka might divert even the meagre flow down the river. We support the Tamil Nadu government’s move in opposing the plan to develop Mekedatu and urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and protect the delta farmers.”
As an alternative, the water from the rivers of the Western Ghats that drain into the Arabian Sea could be utilised to meet the present and future demands of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, he said.
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Sangam members took up the issue at the zonal-level farmers’ grievances meet in Kumbakonam on Thursday. They wanted Mr. Modi to look into the possibility of harnessing the west-flowing river water as per a plan prepared in 2004 by a senior retired Karnataka water manager. The Sangam members staged a demonstration to press their demand.
District vice-president of the All India Agricultural Workers’ Association V. Jeevakumar said Karnataka move “smacks of deceit.” It would adversely affect the already-shrunk livelihood of the agricultural workers in the delta, as the upper riparian State might divert water under the guise of the new project, thereby denying Tamil Nadu its due share of Cauvery waters as per the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
“First, let Karnataka cooperate in forming a Cauvery Management Board and a Cauvery Water Regulation Committee. Mr. Modi should take quick steps to ensure that the bodies mandated by the Tribunal are formed at the earliest. Only then, can Karnataka think of prosecuting the reservoir proposal,” Mr. Jeevakumar said.
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In Tiruvarur, the All Farmers’ Associations Coordination Committee gave a call for ‘hartal’ and a rail roko on November 22.