Farmers staging a protest near the district collectorate in Nagapattinam on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Demanding speedy construction of the proposed regulator across the Vettar at Uthamachozhapuram, farmers from Cauvery Farmers’ Protection Association and Desiya Thennindhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam staged a protest near the district collectorate on Thursday.
The ₹49.5-crore regulator project being executed by the Water Resources Department at Uthamachozhapuram aims at preventing seawater intrusion into the river. The rally was led by S. Dhanapalan and P. Ayyakannu from the two farmer associations. The rally began at Vanchur, near the district border, and passed through Nagore before reaching the Collector’s office in Nagapattinam.
Farmers from Uthamachozhapuram, Okkur, Vadakarai, and nearby villages joined the rally holding placards and raising slogans demanding the quick implementation of the regulator at the original site and for additional protection work near Narimanam.
TVK stages protest
Meanwhile, members of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) staged a protest at Melavanchur near Nagore, led by district president Sukumar.
They alleged that placing the regulator at Uthamachozhapuram would increase seawater intrusion, deplete groundwater, and render fertile lands barren across multiple villages.
Published – July 17, 2025 05:51 pm IST
