Thanjavur: Tension prevailed on Mannargudi-Thanjavur road junction near here on Saturday when the police stopped farmers who were on their way from Mannargudi to Mukkombu near Tiruchy to agitate, demanding use of military engineers to plug the breach caused by the collapse of nine vents of the regulator on Kollidam, on a war-footing.
On a day of high drama, farmers led by P.R. Pandian, coordinator of the 'Thamizhaga Anaithu Vivasaya Sangangalin Orunginaippu Kuzhu' came from Mannargudi in two-wheelers to go to Mukkombu to take part in the “siege Mukkombu” agitation announced by them earlier.
They were joined by farmers and members of all political parties at Mannargudi-Thanjavur road junction. But the police led by T. Senthilkumar, Thanjavur district SP, who were in large numbers stopped them and told them that they were arrested.
Farmers objected to the arrest and sat on the roads on a 'rasta roko' agitation and shouted slogans demanding reaching of water to tail end areas, plugging the breach at Mukkombu using army engineers to provide water for 'samba' paddy cultivation, stop sand mining etc.
The police, however, arrested them (370 farmers) and took them to a marriage hall at Mariammankoil near Thanjavur. As the hall did not have facilities to lodge the farmers, the police took them to another marriage hall. Irked by the police move, farmers organised another 'rasta roko' agitation on Thanjavur-Nagapattinam road. Traffic was affected for more than an hour due to the stir. Later police took them to a third marriage hall.
P.R. Pandian told presspersons that a judicial enquiry should be ordered into collapse of nine vents and washing away of shutters in floods in the regulator across Kollidam at Mukkombu. PWD engineers are trying to plug the breach at Mukkombu using stones and sand. “This is foolishness. Military help should be sought. Sand mining is the reason for the collapse of the vents. Water is wasted into sea through Kollidam due to the breach and Cauvery is not getting water which has affected 'samba' cultivation in delta districts. We did not get water for the past six years to take up Kuruvai cultivation. But this year, though not for 'Kuruvai', for 'Samba; we had surplus water but wasted due to poor water management. This is unfortunate. When we protest against poor water management, they arrest us,” Pandian said.
M. Rangasamy, treasurer of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and disqualified MLA of Thanjavur, A. Nalladurai of Naam Thamizhar Katchi and others participated in the agitation.
