Cauvery protests: Thanjai farmers block train, arrested

TIRUCHY: More than 200 farmers who blocked the train in Thanjavur demanding water from Karnataka were arrested on Tuesday. The members of the Cauvery Rights Retrieval Committee along with various farmers associations gathered at the Boothalur bus stand took out a procession to the railway station and blocked the Cholan Express bound from Tiruchy.

The farmers led by the committee coordinator P Maniarasan said, despite the reservoirs of Karnataka state being full, the government refused to release water. As per the agreement, Karnataka is yet to release the due share of water for the months of June, July and August. “Despite the court and the Cauvery Water Management

ity having directed Karnataka to release water, they refused it. This is illegal and it is time, the Centre should instruct Karnataka to release water. In the same way, the Tamil Nadu government should wake up and initiate proper action,” Maniarasan added.

He also said that Tamil Nadu has a storage of just 11 TMC, whereas Karnataka has the storage of 53 TMC and they refuse to release even 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, he said.

On information, Boothalur police rushed to the spot and removed all the farmers from the station and the train left after one-hour delay.

Meanwhile, a section of farmers who have staged a relay protest for various demands, including the Karnataka government to release due share of water to Tamil Nadu, performed ‘Karumathi’ (a ritual for the dead) to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday.

Members of Desiya Thennindiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam led by the state president P Ayyakannu have been staging a relay protest for the past 55 days demanding profitable price for the agriculture produces, control of fertiliser prices, waiver of crop load availed from the nationalised banks, due share of water from Karnataka and permitting the Sangam members to go to Delhi and protest for their demands and organising a rally there.

The members have been staging novel protests each day and on Tuesday, they performed ‘karumathi’ to Karnataka Chief Minister for failing to release water despite the Supreme Court’s orders. The protesting farmers garlanded the portrait of Karnataka CM and made a platform to perform the ritual for the dead. They also were beating ‘parai’ instruments. The women members performed ‘Oppari’ to mourn Siddaramaiah.

“Despite the Cauvery Water Management Authority having clearly directed the Karnataka government to release the due share of water to Tamil Nadu, the Karnataka government has not been releasing water. Several of the Tamil Nadu farmers have died after looking at the withered crops due to the water shortage and the Karnataka government wants more deaths of Tamil Nadu farmers,” said Ayyakannu leading the mock ritual.