Chennai: DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to make a special mention in the Supreme Court on the pending case against construction of dams by Andhra Pradesh across the river Palar and seek a stay on the construction works.
The DMK leader said farmer Seenivasan committed suicide as he was unable to cultivate his lands for lack of Palar water after the construction of Pullur checkdam and appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to provide appropriate relief to the victim’s family.
The farmer drowned himself after losing all hope of getting water for cultivation and repaying his debts, the DMK leader said. Andhra Pradesh government had increased the height of Palar dam and blocked its water. It had built 22 check dams within a distance of 33 km and it was raising the height of all the dams to 20 feet.
Andhra Pradesh was building the dams with the objective of utilising all the water flowing from the forests and mountains in the area to Palar. It is also setting up a boat house at Pullur checkdam and building a community centre and guest houses in the area, Karunanidhi said.
The state government had filed a petition in the Supreme Court and a case is pending. Andhra Pradesh government is expediting the construction of check dams. Tamil Nadu government should get a stay for the projects, he added.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko who condemned the Andhra Pradesh and Central governments said Andhra Pradesh government was carrying on with construction of check dams across the Palar even while a case is pending in the Supreme Court and the Union government remains a mute spectator.
CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan said the Pullur checkdam should be immediately removed and Central government should intervene quickly.
Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T. Velmurugan said the Andhra Pradesh and central governments are responsible for the farmer’s suicide and demanded that the height of Pullur dam should be reduced to five feet immediately.
