MADURAI: Several farmers staged a protest near Pennycuick Memorial at Lower Camp in Theni district on Sunday against the Kerala government’s move to build a new dam countering the existing Mullaiperiyar dam, which serves as a lifeline for southern districts including Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram.

The agitating farmers associated with the Periyar Vaigai Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam raised slogans condemning the move to bring Mullaiperiyar under the control of the National Dam Safety Authority.

Balasingam, the coordinator of the Sangam, who led the protest, said if the Kerala government tries to demolish Mullaiperiyar dam, the farmers would turn into suicide squads.

Even after ten years of the Supreme Court ruling, the Baby Dam, which exists parallel to the main dam across the Periyar river, could not be strengthened due to the intervention of the Kerala government.

Moreover, the State government should take up the issue on a war footing and raise the water storage level to 152 feet to protect the rights of Tamil Nadu, he said.