BJP announces Stir to press completion of Athikadavu Project

BJP is going to hold a  silent stir during the visit of CM MK Stalin to Erode district to press the government to complete the Athikadavu Avinasi water project speedily, said the BJP farmers wing state president GK Nagaraj. 

After 60 years of farmers stir,  the foundation stone was laid for the project on 28.02.2019 at a cost of Rs. 1856.88 crore. The project was supposed to be completed by 2021 Pongal Day. It has been delayed for the last 17 months due to the laxity of the authorities in laying pipeline for just 2.2 km. (750 meters in Bhavani river where the project starts, 250 meters in the pump house area between 2 and 3, and 1.2 km at Mullampatti). 

Although 96.5% of the work has been completed, 30 TMC water in Bhavani river last year and 50 TMC water this year has gone into the sea due to non-implementation of the project. Only 1.5 TMC water is to be pumped from the Bhavani river at Kalingarayan dam, Bhavani, to fill 1045 ponds in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts. Had the project been implemented, the groundwater level would have risen. But now the farmers are forced to dig bore wells up-to 1000 feet depth in the districts. 

So,  the BJP asked the CM to visit the area where pipelines were not laid. But, it was announced that he was  going to inspect the project site at Gray Nagar, near Perundurai, where the work was completed, during his visit to Erode district on August 26.  

The BJP again pleaded to him to visit areas where the project was not yet completed to settle the issue.  If he does not visit, a silent stir will be held on August 25 near the pump house area in Nasianur where the pipeline was not yet laid. This is a struggle to draw the attention of him on the issue in which the party executives will wear black masks till 10 am to 12 noon and express their protest peacefully, he added.