Over 600 farmers have been detained during a rail roko protests staged in Chennai, Madurai and Thanjavur districts over the Cauvery row.
On Monday farmers and members of the DMK, MDMK, DMDK, VCK and CPI (M) staged protests across the state, demanding that the Cauvery Management Board be set up to resolve the dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing of Cauvery water. Farmers and political parties in Karnataka are however, opposing the formation of the Board.
In its last order, the Supreme Court had directed Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of water between October 7-18. A hearing on the case is scheduled for Tuesday.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly DMK’s MK Stalin led the demonstrations in Perambur even though permission for the protests had been denied. All trains in Perambur railways station were halted. DMK Leader Durai Murugan has been arrested.
A goods train bound for Mecheri in Salem district was detained for over an hour at Kudamurutti near Tiruchi after a group of farmers lay down on the track and planted saplings on the track to record their protest. Around 50 farmers affiliated to Desiya Thennindhiya Nathigal Inaippu Vivasaya Sangam were detained in Salem.
“Despite the Supreme Court judgement to release water, Karnataka has not complied. We have quietly witnessed this injustice for long. But we can no longer stand behind a decision that will split the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to intervene,” MDMK chief Vaiko told reporters inTiruvarur.
The protests come days after a technical team, set up by the Supreme Court, completed its inspection of Cauvery basin region in both Tamil Nadu to assess the situation in the state. The technical committee is set to submit its report on the ground realities in the two states to the Court on Monday.
On October 3, the Tamil Nadu Ministry of Water Resources filed an Interlocutory Application in the Supreme Court seeking modification of its September 30 order to constitute the CMB by October 4. The SC had directed Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry to furnish a list of its members to form the CMB by October 4.
The Ministry in its application said the CMB cannot be constituted now.
The apex court had set up the team while hearing a petition by Tamil Nadu government seeking release of Cauvery water by Karnataka.
With inputs from IANS