Cauvery issue: TN farmers to protest in eight districts on Sep 20

The protest will be conducted in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Tiruchi, Ariyalur and Pudukottai -- the Cauvery delta districts of the state

Chennai: In a move to exert pressure on the Karnataka government to release their share of water, farmers organisations and farmers of eight districts of Tamil Nadu will stage a protest on September 20.

The protest will be conducted in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Tiruchi, Ariyalur and Pudukottai — the Cauvery delta districts of the state.

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According to the farmers, the Kuruvai paddy in lakhs of acres of land in Delta districts have wilted. This has led to farmers showing reluctance in
cultivating Samba paddy also as water flow from Cauvery is not enough to sustain the cultivation of paddy.

R. Manickyam, a farmer in Thanjavur, considered the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, while speaking to IANS said, “The Karnataka side has not yet released the water due to Tamil Nadu and we are suffering because lakhs of acres of Kuruvai paddy has wilted due to lack of water. The farmers are also reluctant to enter into the next round of Samba paddy cultivation as we don’t have any idea on the release of Cauvery water by Karnataka. Tamil Nadu Government has a responsibility to inform us on this.”

P. Shanmugham, President of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association told media persons that ever since the beginning of June, the Karnataka side has not released water as per the monthly schedule.

The farmer leader charged that even after the directives of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and Supreme Court, the political parties of Karnataka were protesting against releasing water to Tamil Nadu.