The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has condemned the
alleged illegal pumping of water from River South Pennar to Malur taluk
in Kolar district by the Karnataka Government.
As
many as 500 DMK cadre, led by T. Senguttuvan, district secretary and
Member of Legislative Assembly representing Veppanahalli constituency,
staged a demonstration to protect the livelihood of farmers in
Krishnagiri on Wednesday.
Mr. Senguttuvan alleged
that the Karnataka government had launched a scheme to pump water from
South Pennar with a view to fill up 130 lakes in Kolar district for
irrigation. If the project takes off in full swing, five districts
including Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore and
Villupuram would be affected. The protesters demanded that the
government intervene in the issue and save the interest of the farmers
in the five districts.
Mr. Senguttuvan said that the
Karnataka government had violated the two agreements signed between the
States during 1892 and 1933 which stated that without the consent of
Tamil Nadu no new water scheme would be implemented.
As
per the agreement, four dams — Barur, Kodiyalam, KRP and Kelevarapalli —
were constructed. After that check dams were also built by the
government at Aliyalam, Subagiri, Ennakkopudur and Eachambadi.
The
River South Pennar was the main source for irrigating over 25,000 acres
in Krishnagiri district. E.G. Sugavanam, youth wing deputy secretary,
B.V. Venkatasamy, former MLA, among others participated.
