Annamalai asks Stalin to apologise for giving up rights of Tamil Nadu

He led a protest demonstration by the national party in Theni on Monday against the sudden release of water from the Mullaiperiyar dam by the Kerala government even before the level reached 142 feet.

Addressing the rally, Annamalai said when the AIADMK was in power, water level in the Periyar dam was maintained at 142 feet, but after the change of government, water from the dam was released when the level was only 138 ft, days ago to benefit the people of Kerala.

Relying strongly on the dam, earlier farmers with 2.41 lakh acres of cultivable lands in the districts including Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram benefitted from the release of water. But, nowadays agriculture in these southern districts has been shrinking as the water level is lowered gradually from its permissible level of 142 feet deliberately by the Kerala government to harm the interest of Tamil Nadu, he said.

Formally, water should only be released in the presence of officials, including the Collector of Theni and Ministers of the ruling party. But our rights were snatched away by the Kerala government. Duraimurugan, Water Resources Minister, was aware of the issue only when farmers started protesting against the move and later inspected the dam. Even without knowing the fact that the Kerala government did not give permission for felling trees to strengthen Baby dam, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was writing a letter to the Kerala Chief Minister thanking the government.

Citing these, the BJP chief said Stalin should apologise before the people of Tamil Nadu for giving up our rights.