Farmers ask govts to submit white paper

TIRUCHY: Delta farmers on Monday demanded white paper from both the Centre and State on the steps initiated to get water from Karnataka.

The farmers have already lost kuruvai crop. They have decided to quit samba as well this year and now there is a threat for even drinking water. At this juncture, the Centre and state should immediately release a white paper on the steps initiated to get water from Karnataka, they sought.

“The white paper should mention about the action initiated by the Centre against Karnataka for not releasing water, why the Centre has not declared Delta as drought hit region and what step is initiated by the state to declare the region as drought hit,” asked Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Protection Association.

He also asked on what basis, the state has allocated Rs 13,500 per hectare for kuruvai relief. He charged that, while the entire kuruvai crop have been damaged, the assessment report said only 40,000 acres are affected.

Meanwhile, the CPI has extended support for the October 11 bandh called by the Cauvery Delta Protection Movement. CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said that the bandh has been called to express the sentiments of the Delta farmers who are faced with withering crops due to the non-availability of adequate water.