DMK urges Centre to declare state drought-hit

In a statement, party treasurer and leader of the Opposition MK Stali n said that the state received only 40 per cent rainfall from south west monsoon and subsequently north east monsoon was yet to pick up. “In such a circumstance, all the districts in the state are facing water crisis in terms of drinking water. Further, there is no water for irrigation so that all the crops are withering,” he said. “I urge the Centre to send a team to Tamil Nadu for inspection and declare it drought-hit state,” he added. He demanded that the Tamil Nadu government must pressurise the Centre on the issue and urged the AIADMK MPs to raise the issue in the Parliament.

“If necessary, a special Assembly session should be convened to discuss the extraordinary situation,” he said, adding a resolution should be unanimously adopted seeking to declare Tamil Nadu drought-hit State. He said DMK would extend its cooperation as the main Opposition party. Stating that people were facing difficulties over drinking water availability, he claimed that water level in over 20 reservoirs under the Public Works Department, including Mettur, Bhavanisagar, Vaigai, Papanasam, Manimutharu and Amaravathi “resemble large vacant grounds.” 

A similar situation exists in over 14,000 lakes like Veeranam (which feeds Chennai a huge quantum of its drinking water needs), he said. “Since, lakes, ponds and reservoirs have gone dry, the groundwater table has also plummeted and the reservoirs in Chennai’s suburbs like Chembarambakkam, Poondi, Cholavaram and Puzhal do not even have one TMC feet of water,” he said. On the farm sector, he said farmers faced hardship in getting water for irrigation. 

Cauvery Delta farmers were unable to raise both the short term Kuruvai and long term Samba crops, he said, adding ryots were harried as crop loans and subsidies had not reached them. He also referred to the deaths of farmers, including alleged suicides in various parts of the State. “The AIADMK regime is not bothered about any of these issues and is in deep slumber,” he alleged.