More than 400 farmers and members of 12 farmers’ associations including Five Districts Farmers Association observed a dawn-to-dusk fast here on Tuesday condemning a proposal for construction of a new dam by the Kerala government.
The farmers demanded that the Kerala government should abandon the proposal and cooperate with Tamil Nadu in strengthening Mullaperiyar dam. The Central government should provide Central Industrial Security Force, a neutral force to both states, to ensure protection to the dam and safety of officials in both states impartially. The Central Government should press Kerala to provide basic facilities to enable Tamil Nadu to undertake maintenance work in the dam site. Road connectivity had not been given till now.
Addressing the gathering near Gudalur old bus stand, Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations Coordination Committee State president P.R. Pandian said that Periyar dam was the lifeline of the five southern districts. Even as the Supreme Court Panel, as per guidelines of the Supreme Court, had tested and proved that the dam was strong enough to store water up to 152 feet, Kerala has been preventing Tamil Nadu from undertaking strengthening work in the baby dam.
The Kerala police not only prevented transportation of construction materials to the dam site through Vallakadavu but also foisted false cases against TN PWD officials. They should stop such activities, he said.
All efforts should be taken to raise the dam level to 152 feet. The Kerala government should lay the road to the dam site from Vallakadavu check post to facilitate transportation of construction materials for undertaking maintenance work in baby dam, he added.
Other speakers also demanded immediate withdrawal of false cases foisted against officials. Another long pending issue was the operation of new boat, bought by Tamil Nadu PWD. The boat was lying idle near the jetty at Thekkadi for the past one year as Kerala refused to grant permission to operate it. Permission should be granted quickly.
They also condemned inordinate delay in providing electricity to the dam even after remittance of Rs.1.6 crore for laying underground cables. Power supply to the dam was snapped in 2001 after the mysterious death of an elephant in the reserve forests in Kerala.
