TIRUCHY: The members from the Confederation of Cauvery Delta Farmers Associations staged a dharna on Wednesday demanding water from Karnataka to save the standing kuruvai crops.
The members who gathered in front of the Panagal building in Thanjavur commenced their dharna. The protesting farmers said that the supreme court should prioritise the case and order Karnataka state to release water to Tamil Nadu. Since the Karnataka government failed to release the monthly due of water, the kuruvai crops had withered away and so they demanded a compensation of Rs 35,000 per acre for kuruvai loss.
The members asked the Centre and State governments should ensure the delta farmers of getting the due water to take up samba cultivation.
Meanwhile, the farmers asked the Cauvery Water Management Authority to take control of the waterbodies in the Karnataka state and initiate steps to release water to Tamil Nadu as per the apex court’s direction. Since the water shortage, the Delta farmers who have already lost kuruvai, are also forced to quit samba through this, the livelihood of farmers has become a question, they added.
Confederation president, P Senthil Kumar, presided over the dharna. Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam State General Secretary Sami Natarajan inaugurated the dharna.