TN farmers stage protest against Kerala government for obstructing maintenance works at Periyar Dam

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu farmers continue to stage a protest against the Kerala government for the fourth consecutive day, condemning the latter for obstructing the maintenance works that are underway at the Periyar Dam, according to a Maalaimalar report.

Despite the Supreme Court's direction to not disrupt the maintenance that is being carried out at the Periyar Dam, the Kerala government continues to block the entrance of lorries carrying construction material into their state, according to a Maalaimalar report.

Several lorries with supplies have been blocked from entering the dam area as the Kerala government officials refuse to allow entry without a letter from the Kerala irrigation department.

The central monitoring committee and a subcommittee that was formed to review the maintenance work at the dam were recently disbanded as the Mullaperiyar dam comes under the National Dam Safety Authority.

However, four days ago, when two lorries carrying M-sand and other construction materials attempted to enter the dam area, they were halted at the checkpost at Vallakadavu in Idukki district, where officials demanded a permission letter from the Kerala irrigation department.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Water Resources department sent a letter to the Kerala government earlier in November regarding the logistics and transportation of the construction material, for which there has been no response until now.

Following this, protests erupted at the Lower Camp by the Periyar, Vaigai Irrigation Farmers Association, and the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association against the incident. 

The protestors attempted to block the checkpost and stage a demonstration but were stopped by the police at the Lower Camp.

Farmers from five districts have begun a series of protests at the Kerala border for the fourth consecutive day, condemning the Kerala government for disrupting the maintenance works at the Periyar Dam.