Tiruchi, June 16 (IANS) The farmers in Tamil Nadu have intensified their opposition to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project, announcing a major protest in New Delhi on June 23 to press the Union government to reject the proposal.

In a statement issued after the state committee meeting of the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Association in Tiruvarur, the organisation said farmers from across the state would participate in a march and lay siege to the headquarters of the Central Water Resources Department in the national capital.

The association expressed concern that the proposed reservoir on the Cauvery River could adversely affect water availability in Tamil Nadu and pose a serious threat to agriculture in the Cauvery Delta region.

It alleged that Karnataka was moving ahead with plans for the project despite strong objections from Tamil Nadu.

Association General Secretary P.R. Pandian said the farmers would urge the Centre not to grant any approval for the project. He contended that construction of a dam at Mekedatu without Tamil Nadu’s concurrence would undermine the interests of downstream farmers and affect the state’s share of Cauvery waters.

The farmers’ body also called upon Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to take all necessary legal and administrative steps to prevent the project from materialising.

According to the association, the state government must act decisively to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s water rights and protect the livelihood of lakhs of farmers dependent on the Cauvery basin.

Pandian said the June 23 agitation would bring together farmers representing various organisations from different districts of Tamil Nadu. The protest, he added, would send a strong message to the Union government that the state remains firmly opposed to the Mekedatu project.

The association further stated that farmers were expecting the government to make an announcement on a revised crop loan waiver during the forthcoming Assembly session. It said cultivators were hopeful that the ruling dispensation would fulfil its electoral promise of a comprehensive waiver of farm loans.

Apart from the Mekedatu issue, the meeting adopted a resolution opposing the proposed hydrocarbon exploration project of Indian Oil Corporation off the coast of Parangipettai.

The association expressed concern over the potential environmental impact of the project and its possible consequences for coastal communities, fishermen and agricultural livelihoods in the region.

The Mekedatu project has remained a contentious issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for several years, with farmers’ organisations in the delta districts consistently arguing that any new storage structure upstream could affect water flows critical for irrigation in the state.

–IANS

aal/dpb