Stalin to lead protest over Ker move for dam across Siruvani

Coimbatore, Aug 28 (PTI): DMK treasurer M K Stalin willlead a protest meeting here on September 3 against Keralagovernment’s move to construct a dam across Siruvani and alsoTamil Nadu government’s ‘failure’ to take any action againstthis. A resolution adopted at a meeting of District DMK officebearers, led by former minister Pongalur N Palanisamy, blamedTamil Nadu government for its ‘failure’ to respond to letterssent by the Centre and Kerala Government over the issue. Considering this, the environment ministry had cleared theproject during its meeting onn August 11 and 12, it claimed. Though Kerala had attempted to construct a dam in 2002,itwas forced to shelve it due to largescale protests fromfarmers and public as it would deprive drinking water and alsoirrigation for thousands of acres, in Tirupur, Erode andCoimbatore districts, the resolution said. Moreover, the then UPA government, in which DMK was anally, did not grant environmental clearance for theconstruction, it said. Fearing that the entire region may become a desert oncethe dam is constructed, the party said it would hold a protestmeeting here, in which Stalin, who is also the oppositionleader will participate, it said. More than 25,000 people from all walks of life, includingfarmers, public, political parties and social enthusiasts areexpected to participate, it said. Yesterday Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa hadsought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s urgent intervention forwithdrawing a central committee’s recommendation for anenvironmental impact assessment study on a proposal of Keralagovernment to build a dam across river Siruvani at Attappady.PTI NVM APRAPR