COIMBATORE: Farmers representatives along with functionaries from various political parties in Tamil Nadu petitioned Pollachi sub-collector, Ms Gayathri, on Monday, demanding to stop release of water from Aliyar dam to Kerala and seeking the Chief Minister, Mr Edappadi K Palaniswami’s intervention to take legal steps to end the row.
The PWD officials from Kerala few days ago, resorted to a new low, violating the rules by opening the emergency shutters of the Siruvani dam under the PAP system to create water scarcity for Coimbatore. Following the threat, water board officials from Chennai spoke to Kerala officials conveying their willingness to release additional water from the Aliyar dam. After the talks, the shutters were immediately opened and around 450 cusecs is being released now.
S. Palanisamy, joint forum of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association told DC, that the Tamil Nadu officials’ action has triggered anger among farmers here, as this will result in 94,000 acres of arable land in Tirupur district slipping into drought. A resolution on the issue was passed at an all-party meeting conducted at Pollachi on Monday against Chithore constituency Janata Dal party MLA Krishnan Kutty. The members also decied to besiege the PAP office and stage a protest on Tuesday, demanding to stop water release from Aliyar.
The state farmers, in their petition to the sub-collector, also demanded compensation for the vehicles that were damaged by Kerala politicians and action against the Kerala police who were “watching the violence without taking action”.
