TN: Tribals urge CM to punish estate owners

Chennai, June 20: Tribals of Nervenmandhu village of Nilgiris district here today complained Chief Minister M Karunanidhi that Kodanadu Tea estate owners had blocked a natural spring, which was their only drinking water source. The tribals demanded action against the estate owners.

In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, copy of which was made available to the media, the tribals alleged that the Kodanadu estate owners had built a check dam and diverted the spring water to an artificial lake in the estate.

The tribals were living in the village for many generations and the spring water was their only source for drinking and cultivation. In the last one year, after the estate owners, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa and her friend Sasikala also blocked the water flow,they alleged.

They had to make a trek daily for about ten kms to fetch drinking water, they added.

The tribals also complained that they faced the threat of landsliding as more than 20,000 trees had been cut by the estate owners and urged the government to plant fresh trees in the areas.

They pleaded the Chief Minister to demolish the check dam for free flow of water from the natural spring and take action against those who posed a threat to the environment.

UNI