Political party leaders and activists have hailed the interim order of the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench), restraining the State government from supplying Tamirabarani river water to two beverage firms in Tirunelveli district.
Welcoming the order, veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader R. Nallakannu said, “Now the ban is an interim measure. I will be happier if the court imposed the ban permanently.”
He, however, pointed out that the State government should implement the court’s order effectively. “This interim order would certainly ensure uninterrupted supply to meet the drinking water needs of the people and also protect the interests of farmers, who solely rely on the Tamirabarani river, which serves as a lifeline to them,” he said.
According to Mr. Nallakannu, the beverage firms drew several lakh litres of water from Tamirabarani on a daily basis. Thousand litres of water from Thamirabarani was being supplied to the two companies at a paltry rate of Rs. 37, whereas one litre of water and soft drink was being sold at an exorbitant rate by the manufacturers. “While the common man and farmers bore the brunt of water scarcity in various parts of southern Tamil Nadu, the government was seldom bothered to resolve the crisis, even as supply of Tamirabarani water to the beverage companies continued without any hindrance,” he charged.
The Kovilpatti populace had been facing acute scarcity of drinking water while there was no no need for such hardship. To facilitate the needs of the beverage company, a check dam was built near Seevalaperi across Tamirabarani, the CPI leader alleged.
Ahead of its launch, the beverage firm faced stiff opposition from the people, but the company came into existence, promising jobs for 5,000 people and drew water from the Tamirabarani. But jobs were not even offered to 500 people, he charged.
Hailing the ban order, S. Kasi Vishwanathan, district secretary of CPI, Tirunelveli, said water, a precious and limited resource, should not be commercialised at any cost. It was not because of the multinational beverage company per se, but the need to conserve Thamirabarani and fulfil drinking water needs that the CPI had launched a series of protests against the beverage company since its inception and demanded its closure, he said. Ever since the Centre, in 1996, signed up to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade — a multilateral agreement to regulate international trade in India — several corporate companies including the beverage firm entered the Indian market. The Thamirabarani river remains the source of drinking water not only for the people of Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, but also extends up to Virudhunagar district, he said.
K. G. Baskaran, district secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Tirunelveli, who was elated with the court order, said that at a time when the political parties in the fold of the People’s Welfare Front have been demanding the declaration of the entire State as drought-hit, the High Court order came as a relief, at least to help conserve and protect the Tamirabarani river.
They say the move would help conserve and protect the Tamirabarani river as a natural resource
