Thanjavur: Members of the Cauvery Padugai Paadukappu Koottiyakkam (Cauvery Basin Protection Federation) held a meeting here on Tuesday, and discussed the Centre’s proposed hydrocarbon extraction projects and other related issues plaguing the farming community.
At the meeting, it was decided to take out rallies to the collectorates in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Karaikal region of the Union Territory of Puduchery on July 23, protesting against the proposed hydrocarbon projects in the delta region.
Dr. V. Durai Manickam, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the CPI, presided over the meeting. P. Shanmugham, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI(M), A.K.S. Vijayan, former MP and state secretary, farmers wing of DMK, representatives from VCK and other farmers organisations participated in the meeting.
Later, Shanmugham told presspersons that a resolution should be adopted in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly declaring Cauvery delta as a protected ‘agro zone’. As the state law minister has informed the assembly that proposed hydrocarbon projects will not be allowed in Tamil Nadu, the ban should be published in the government gazette also.
Both Central and State governments should take steps to get Tamil Nadu's due share of Cauvery water as per Supreme Court order for June and July from Karnataka. They also demanded that machines brought for taking up the proposed hydrocarbon projects and for other drilling works be removed from the delta.
