Thanjavur: With the expiry of six weeks time given by the Supreme court to the Central government to form the Cauvery Management Board on Thursday, farmers of Thanjavur district expressed anguish, disappointment and condemned the Union government for not respecting the apex court order.
Reiterating that Cauvery Management Board (CMB) alone could do justice to Tamil Nadu as it would be an autonomous body with powers, they said supervisory committee or any other mechanism to implement the apex court order is not acceptable.
They suggested that Tamil Nadu government should file a contempt of court petition against the Central government immediately.
Sami Nadarajan, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI(M) said that instead of seeking a legal course, Tamil Nadu government should take to action programmes like ‘bandh’ throughout the state.
The “state government itself should lead an agitation against failure of the centre to form the CMB,” he said. It was unfortunate that the Tamil Nadu MPs have not supported the no-confidence motion of TDP and other parties, but had in an indirect way helped in Lok Sabha not taking it up.
Mr. Sundara Vimalanathan, secretary, ‘Thanjai district Cauvery farmers protection association’ said that Tamil Nadu government should file a contempt of court petition immediately. The apex court in its order has said that its order will be like a piece of paper if it is not implemented. Now centre has made the order into a piece of paper, Vimalanathan charged.
Meanwhile, farmers staged a demonstration on Gandhiji road near Irwin Bridge at Thanjavur today. They squatted on the road and stopped vehicles for an hour. The police arrested them.
P.Maniarasan, coordinator, Cauvery Urimai Meetpu Kuzhu led the agitation. Manimozhiyan of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, Ayyanapuram Murugesan, of Thamizhar Desiya Periyakkam, participated in the agitation. Maniarasan said that Tamil Nadu government should announce agitation before Central government offices for a week to protest against the failure of the centre to form the CMB.
