Chennai, Aug 29 — CPI(M) Tamil Nadu state secretary P Shanmugam on Saturday urged the state government to ensure that water from the Mettur dam is released for at least 120 to 150 days to enable farmers in the Cauvery delta to undertake samba paddy cultivation.
Addressing reporters in Chennai, Shanmugam said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s announcement that water would be released from the Mettur reservoir had brought some relief to farmers. However, the water resources minister’s statement that the release would continue for only 45 days had created confusion and anxiety among the farming community.
He said no paddy crop could be successfully raised with water available for just 45 days. Samba cultivation requires an assured supply for between 120 and 150 days. As the water level in the Mettur dam was expected to reach 90 feet, the government should take appropriate measures to ensure the completion of the entire samba season.
Shanmugam also accused the Karnataka government of failing to release Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of Cauvery water every month in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict.
Karnataka, he alleged, released surplus water only when its reservoirs became full. The Tamil Nadu government should approach the Supreme Court and exert pressure on the Union government to secure the state’s legitimate share of Cauvery water, he said.
Responding to questions about the Parandur airport project and the proposed airport at Hosur, Shanmugam said fertile agricultural land capable of supporting three crops annually should not be acquired for infrastructure projects. Tamil Nadu had more than 50 lakh acres of uncultivated or barren land, and the government should identify such areas for development projects instead of taking over farmland, he said.
Shanmugam criticised a statement by Minister K A Sengottaiyan suggesting that agricultural land could be acquired, saying the remark was inappropriate and had caused serious discontent among farmers.
The CPI(M) leader also referred to an order directing authorities to monitor protests organised by Left-affiliated student and youth organisations on college campuses.
Shanmugam held the Chief Secretary solely responsible for issuing the order and said he had written to Chief Minister Vijay demanding appropriate action. The party would wait to see how the government responds to the complaint, he added.