DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Sunday announced that his party will hold a massive demonstration in Coimbatore on September 3 to insist that the Centre must not grant permission to the Kerala government for building a dam across the Siruvani river.
In a statement, he said three districts in Tamil Nadu would turn into a desert if the Centre granted permission for the dam.
The DMK chief said that after seeing the “shocking news report” in The Hindu that the Tamil Nadu government had failed to respond to several letters of Ministry of Environment and Forests and Kerala government, he and other party leaders had issued statements condemning the State government.
He alleged that after waking up to the gravity of the issue, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that she had taken up the issue with the then Prime Minister in 2012.
“But, four years have passed (since she wrote to Manmohan Singh). Has the Tamil Nadu government informed the BJP-led government at the Centre or has the Chief Minister informed Mr. Modi when she met him in person (about the opposition to the project). She also has not given the dates when she wrote (these) letters to the Centre,” Mr Karunanidhi said.
“People of Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur have raised such doubts. Whether the government takes efforts to stop the dam or not, the DMK has decided to stage a massive protest led by party treasurer M.K. Stalin,” he said seeking the cooperation of the public, particularly farmers for the protest.
