Following the failure of the monsoons this season, several parts of our state are finding it hard to deal with the water crisis that we are currently experiencing. With limited resources in hand, the City Municipal Corporation is doing all that is can to meet the demand for water in all the 100 wards of Coimbatore.
The state government is also allotting funds to the farmers who are impacted by the drought that has hit our state hard. In the back drop of this, neighboring Kerala Government has proceeded with its plans of construction of check dams across the Bhavani River, despite several appeals not to do so that were made by the people and the Government of Tamil Nadu. Out of the six check dams planned to be constructed, the one at Thekuvattai is almost nearing it's completion and construction work at Manjakandi and at four other sites is on-going in fast pace.
This move by the Kerala Government is sure to impact the farmers and the natives of regions of Coimbatore, Erode and Tiruppur who are dependent on the River Bhavani for water.
Following this, an all party meeting was called for in our city today. Heads, members and representatives of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) among other political parties participated. In this meeting it was decided that as mark of protest, on 12 March, all roads leading from Coimbatore to neighboring Kerala state will remain closed.
Vehicle movement to this state will also come to a stand-still on this day. At this meeting, political leaders of the various parties also decided that if a solution is not obtained, a case will be filed if needed in this regard.
Former Ministers' Subalakshmi Jagedesan, Mutthuswamy, General Secretary of TPDK, Ramakrishnan among 50 members from various political parties participated in this meeting.