Thanjavur: Farmers belonging to Cauvery Padugai Pathukappu Koottiyakkam (Cauvery basin protection federation) took out a rally and staged a demonstration before the collectorate here on Tuesday demanding dropping of the proposed hydrocarbon projects in the delta and declaring the delta as a protected agro zone.
The rally started from Tantex rountana and ended before the collectorate.
Mr. V. Duraimanickam, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI, led the agitation, He told presspersons that paddy is cultivated in the delta for more than 1,000 years now. By giving permission to proposed hydrocarbon projects, centre is trying to destroy the delta and convert it into a desert. State government is indirectly supporting the Central government for this. “Centre and state governments should immediately drop hydrocarbon, methane, shale gas projects and also should desist from creating petro chemical zones in Cauvery delta. The delta should be declared as a protected agro zone,” he urged.
If the governments do not drop the projects, agitations will be intensified till the projects were cancelled, added Durai Manickam.
Ravindran, vice-president of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, Ayyanapuram Murugesan, president of Thamizhar Deisya Munnani, G. Neelamegam, district secretary of CPI(M), P.G. Rajendran, Thanjavur city district congress secretary, were among those who participated.
