Monday 15 December 2014

Farmers plan protest against beverage unit

Veteran CPI leader Nallakannu may lead agitation

Even as a multinational carbonated beverage manufacturing unit that took roots in the district a few years ago is drawing several lakh litres of water from the Tamirabharani, work on establishing two more such companies are in an advanced stage.
While one of the units is being established near Gangaikondan, another one being established near Kodumudiyar dam in the foothills of the Western Ghats, threatening the farming community and the public who are dependant on the reservoir for their water needs. Despite a series of agitations that lost steam in due course, a unit is now producing carbonated beverages by drawing several lakh litres of water from the Tamirabharani.
Consumer activist and advocate D.A. Prabakar has approached the Madras High Court with several “facts” about this beverage unit obtained through Right to Information Act, praying for an order against the company drawing increased quantity of water from the river without conducting any public hearing.
The company’s business rival, also a transnational company, has come to Tirunelveli to set up its unit that would draw the Tamirabharani water. Another company is establishing its unit near Valliyoor. Realising that their existence is threatened by the unit, the farmers approached veteran Communist Party of India leader R. Nallakannu, whose legal intervention stopped sand mining in the Tamirabharani.
According to P. Perumbadaiyar, State vice-president of Tamil Nadu Vivasaayigal Sangam, Mr. Nallakannu would lead the agitation to be organised on behalf of the farmers’ movement demanding cancellation of permission granted to the beverage unit as it would seriously affect the livelihood of a few lakh farmers living in Valliyoor area.
He said the company was sinking many deep borewells near Kodumudiyar dam near Valliyoor. Since the company was expected to manufacture beverages by tapping groundwater, over 15,000 acres of cultivable land in this region would become barren.
“Areas such as Valliyoor, Kallikulam, Vadakkankulam and Panagudi are getting water from the wells dug near Kodumudiyar dam. If the company starts production, people living in over 5,000 villages, all getting water from the wells, will have to leave their places as the entire area will become infertile,” Mr. Perumbadaiyar added.
Mr. Nallakannu is expected to lead a hunger strike planned at Valliyoor on Monday.

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