Safeguard Lower Anaicut: PMK

Recalling the recommendations of Cauvery Technical Cell chairman professor Mohanakrishnan, who had inspected Lower Anaicut twice, including when its 13th sluice developed breach, Ramadoss said the PWD officials have not undertaken a safety audit at Lower Anaicut even four days since eight shutters of the Upper Anaicut (Mukkombu) were washed away.

Failure of the government to undertake safety audit is proof of the concern of rulers on dam safety, the PMK founder said, accusing the Dravidian parties of betraying farmers by not suspending traffic on Lower Anaicut even nine years after the technical experts recommended against allowing vehicles on the structure.

He also quoted the farmers as telling him that the pillars and shutters were further damaged, and they were living in the constant fear of the structure getting damaged.

He suggested that the solution to the problem would be expediting the doubling of the two-lane road from Vikravandi to Thanjavur via Kumbakonam.