TN BJP to launch hunger strike seeking speeding up of Athikadavu-Avinashi project

Erode (Tamil Nadu), Aug 3 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu BJP farmers' wing will go on an indefinite hunger strike from August 20 demanding the state government to expedite the Athikadavu-Avinashi project to improve groundwater and enhance drinking water supply, party's state chief K Annamalai informed on Saturday.

Condemning the inordinate delay in completing the project covering three districts of Coimbatore, Erode, and Thiruppur, Annamalai said the government has been deferring the dates though originally it announced to launch the project in 2022.

"State Ministers and even Chief Minister M K Stalin announced various dates and the Public Works Department officials announced that trial run was on, but it has not materialised so far," Annamalai told reporters at Perundurai.

Hence, the BJP has decided to stage a protest from August 20 seeking the government to accelerate the Athikadavu-Avinashi project.

He would participate in the protest on the first day and thereafter the party's farmers' wing president G K Nagarajan would lead the indefinite fast agitation along with the ryots, he said.

The other demands include the right of use for the pipelines laid on the farmlands to the owners and settling the compensation to the peasants in a week and constituting TN State Dam Safety Committee to ensure the safety of dams, upkeep and constant monitoring of the reservoirs and to plug the leakages in dam shutters, he said. PTI JSP ROH