AIADMK leaders differ on flow to tail-end areas

More than 2 lakh cusecs of water is being released from Mettur dam and the Cauvery River is brimming from Erode, Karur and Namakkal districts. Close to three lakh cusecs of water reaches Kallanai dam and same amount of water is discharged into the sea.

However, farmers in the lower Cauvery basin, especially in Thanjavur district, said that because the water bodies were not desilted in their district Cauvery water had not reached them yet. They also staged a waiting protest demanding for Cauvery water.

They also demanded the government to give a clear reply on why Cauvery water despite its heavy flow did not reach them. While the farmers were waiting for a reply, two senior functionaries in the AIADMK had expressing contradicting views on Cauvery water reaching the lower basin.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, while replying to a query on the issue, said that Cauvery water had reached the lower basin. “I checked with the officials in the morning and they informed me that all the areas in the lower basin received Cauvery water,” said Panneerselvam.

However, Thambidurai agreed that water did not reach the lower basin. He said that water would reach lower basin soon. “I discussed with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and asked him to ensure water supply to the lower Cauvery basin,” said Thambidurai.

The two differing statements had caused confusion among the farmers of Sengipatti, in Thanjavur district, who staged waiting protest, on Saturday. They refuted the statement of Panneerselvam and had demanded the state government to give a clear statement on the number of water bodies desilted in Thanjavur district to assess the truth.