Implement farmers’ idea on Cauvery water, Stalin tells Chief Minister Edappadi

Chennai

Attributing the delay in water reaching the tail end districts to delayed desilting works, Stalin also asked the CM to expedite desilting works in delta districts even while water was being discharged for irrigation.

Remarking that the CM was content with publicising the release of water from Mettur dam on scheduled June 12 even as the farmers were complaining about water not reaching the tail end till date, Stalin said, “Be it farmers of delta region or kongu region, they continue to suffer in TN in the incumbent regime. Neither the AIADMK regime nor the agriculture minister is ready to lend ears to their grievances.”

Citing the current discharge of 10,000 cusecs from Mettur dam, which, he said, would only be sufficient to wet the canals and streams in delta districts, the DMK president said that while farmers unanimously demand discharge of at least 15,000 cusec from Mettur dam to support kuruvai cultivation in delta districts, the CM has not made efforts to get required quantum of water from Karnataka.

Accusing the AIADMK regime of delaying desilting works earlier and doing it shoddily now to make money, the LoP referred to farmers’ protests in delta districts in this regard and said the delta farmers were complaining that they were also being turned away at cooperative societies while seeking crop loans and they were also not supplied fertilizers and quality seeds at agricultural centres.

Claiming that Rs 1.25 lakh was being reportedly collected from each farmer to dig wells for irrigation in Namakkal in the name of a farmers society, Stalin demanded an inquiry into the issue to allay people’s doubts.

Flays RBI move
Meanwhile, Stalin condemned the Centre for deciding to pass an ordinance aimed at bringing cooperative banks under the RBI control.