Chennai: Andhra Pradesh government constructing a check dam across Palar river and its police arresting 32 Tamils in connection with red sanders echoed in Lok Sabha on Monday with AIADMK MPs raising the issue demanding Union government’s intervention.
Raising the issue of construction of a check dam across Palar during zero hour, Namakkal MP P.R. Sundaram said the Union government should instruct the Andhra Pradesh government to desist from constructing new check dams or increasing the height of existing structures across Palar and its tributaries.
Construction of check dams by Andhra Pradesh over Palar would badly affect northern districts of Tamil Nadu since they depend on the water from the river for drinking purpose.
“Therefore, I urge that the Prime Minister immediately intervene in this issue and take it up with the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and ask him to stop building of check dams across Palar river permanently,” he said, as other AIADMK MPs also associated themselves with the issue.
Arani MP V. Elumalai, while raising the issue of 32 Tamils arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police, said they were arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police at Renigunta Railway Station and have been charged under sections 109 and 120 B of the Indian Penal Code and under section 20 (1) (d) of the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act.
“I fail to understand how these innocent persons were arrested on the suspicion that they would have gone there to cut red sandalwood. Madam, India is an independent country. Any person can travel to any place, as there is freedom of movement. I want to know whether, at present, there is any restriction to this freedom? Can the poor be arrested on the basis of mere suspicion?” he asked.
