Ryots to launch door-to-door drive against Mekedatu

TIRUCHY: A farmers’ association, which met at Thanjavur on Wednesday, passed a resolution against the construction of Mekedatu dam and decided to launch a door-to-door campaign against the plan of the Karnataka government.

Members belonging to the Tank and River Ayacutdars Welfare Association, led by its president P Viswanathan, held a meeting to discuss the ongoing issues around the Mekedatu dam construction and the meeting of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), which has decided to discuss the Karnataka government’s project.

The association resolved to hoist black flags atop the houses of farmers across the Cauvery Delta region and initiate a door-to-door campaign against the Mekedatu dam construction.

The meeting also resolved to show black flags to the Prime Minister whenever he visits Tamil Nadu if the Centre grants permission to Karnataka government to construct the dam and not to vote for BJP and its allies in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, the association urged the state government to ensure Cauvery water reaches the tail end regions and demanded uninterrupted supply of fertilizers. It also sought immediate disbursal of kuruvai special package.

They demanded that Chief Minister MK Stalin initiate steps to fix Rs 2,500 per quintal of paddy and Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane as MSP. The farmers charged that the officials deliberately caused unusual delays in the change of patta, correction in UDR and land survey and so the respective district collectors should intervene and rectify such issues.