Stalin blames BJP for crop loss in delta

Stalin also said on Monday that the AIADMK government has failed to implement the Hogenakkal Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme to provide safe drinking water to people in parched Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts. Further, he said that despite allocation of Rs 2 crore for maintenance of the KRP dam, the ruling party members pocketed those funds, resulting in breaches in the shutter. 

“The dam which can hold 52 feet of water is now left with only less than 30 feet of water. Hence, samba cultivation taken up in about 15,000 acres has been hit due to lack of water. Eight more shutters have also become weak and repair works should be taken up immediately,” he said. The DMK leader also urged the state government to set up a sewage treatment plant to prevent sewage water, discharged from Bengaluru flowing into the dam through Thenpennai river. 

Stalin, after inspecting the implementation of the water project at Anginayanapalli near Bargur in Krishnagiri district, told reporters, “The state government is making false claims of having implemented the Hogenakkal water project. People in both Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts continue to face water woes as they haven’t received water from the project.” 

The project was launched by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in May 2013. He said that the water project commenced during the DMK rule by receiving a grant of Rs 1,928 crore from Japan. “Though 80 per cent of the works got over, the AIADMK which came to power then launched the project hurriedly even before its completion. It will be executed fully once the DMK comes to power,” he said.