Dam across Palar will cripple farmers: Jaya

Chennai, Jan 30 (UNI) AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today expressed concern over Andhra Pradesh Government's proposal to construct a check dam across Palar river, saying it would severely cripple farmers in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu.

In a statement here, she said a check dam across Palar river would create an agrarian crisis and farmers in northern districts would face an irreversible downslide in their livelihood.

Citing reports that the Andhra Pradesh Government had planned a ground-breaking ceremony for the dam on February 1, she blamed the ''ineptitude'' of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in dealing with neighbouring states on water-related problems.

''Whether it is release of Cauvery water from Karnataka, raising the height of Mullaperiyar dam being opposed by Kerala or now the problem of a check dam proposed by the Andhra Pradesh Government -- it is all due to his lack of administrative skills,'' she said.

Ms Jayalalithaa charged both the UPA Government at the Centre and the state Government with having not taken concrete measures to resolve problems affecting farmers and the public.

If the dam across Palar river by the Andhra Pradesh Government was constructed as planned, the entire river basin would soon become a desert, she cautioned.

UNI