Farmers hit road over Mekedatu dam

TIRUCHY: Delta farmers staged a protest against Karnataka government’s decision to construct a dam in Mekedatu in Thanjavur on Saturday. They urged the Union government to stop the process and save Delta irrigation. According to the protesting farmers, the Karnataka government is firm on constructing a dam at Mekedatu and its Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has confirmed the construction of the dam in his letter to the Union government. The protesting farmers demanded the Union government not to sanction the fund requested by the Karnataka government for the construction of the dam.

Meanwhile, the farmers demanded the state government to get the due share of Cauvery water for the months of June and July from Karnataka for Delta irrigation.

They also demanded the state government to initiate legal action against Karnataka and approach the Cauvery Water Management Authority for preventing the Mekedatu project.

The farmers said that the Delta would turn into a desert if the Mekedatu dam was constructed by Karnataka as the irrigation here is purely dependent on Cauvery. They said that irrespective of the party forming government in Karnataka, they have a single agenda on the construction of the dam at Mekedatu. The farmers, who staged a protest, raised slogans against the Karnataka government and stated that they would initiate a series of protests over the issue.