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TN politicians up in arms against Kerala’s check dams on river Bhavani, hold all party protest

An all-party protest was carried out in Anaiketti on Sunday against the check dams being built in Kerala across the Bhavani river. More than 15 political parties joined the agitation.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, Tamizh Manila Congress (TMC) and Tamil Puligal were present at the protest, which saw the participation of over 300 people.

The parties claimed that the foundation work for the check dams has begun in Thekkuvattai, Manjikandi and Padavayal in Kerala.   

Speaking to The News Minute, G Ramakrishnan, general secretary, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, said, “We have been protesting for the last two months against the check dams being built in Kerala. It will drastically affect the farmers in Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur. They will not have water for irrigation and moreover, these districts will not have drinking water either,” he said.

He added that the project does not require central government affiliation as it is a small project. He also said that 20 to 30 per cent of the project has been completed already.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately stop the construction of the check dams across the inter-state Bhavani river.

Read: Stop Kerala from building dams on Bhavani: TN Chief Minister writes to Modi

The Chief Minister had written, “The government of Tamil Nadu conveys its strong objection to the construction of check dams by Kerala across the Bhavani river, without obtaining the prior concurrence of Tamil Nadu and in violation of the final order of the (Cauvery Water Disputes) tribunal.”

Source: The News Minute