On Monday, a farmers' union in Tamil Nadu staged a demonstration aimed at obstructing the arrival of a passenger train in the Kizhvelur region, as they pressed for the release of Cauvery water to irrigate their fields. However, law enforcement swiftly intervened and relocated the protesters from the vicinity.
Members of the Association of Tamil Nadu Farmers Union, holding paddy crops in their hands, gathered at Kizhvelur railway station to voice their grievances.
Farmers hailing from Nagapattinam district explained that they had cultivated paddy crops across 62,000 acres of land. Regrettably, due to the inadequate water supply, nearly 40,000 acres of paddy crops, sown through direct seeding, were experiencing premature drying and wilting.
Their protest aimed to obstruct the train route connecting Velankanni and Trichy. Nonetheless, law enforcement authorities intervened, dispersing the protesters and detaining some of them.
The aggrieved farmers contended that they had not received the essential water supply required for the upcoming Sambha cultivation season. Their grievances were directed at the Karnataka government, which they accused of withholding the much-needed Cauvery water.
Simultaneously, similar protests over Cauvery water were observed in Karnataka. Various protest rallies unfolded in different regions of the state, including the capital city of Bengaluru. Districts in Karnataka sharing borders with Tamil Nadu were placed on high alert in anticipation of potential disruptions.
The Chief of Tamil Nadu Police also instructed superintendents of police in bordering districts like Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Erode, and Nilgiris to implement precautionary measures. Increased security measures were implemented at checkpoints to maintain order and security.
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