Tamil Nadu: Farmers bury themselves in sand, demand immediate Cauvery water release

TIRUCHIRAPALLI (Tamil Nadu): Farmers in Tamil Nadu staged an unusual protest on the banks of the Cauvery river in Tiruchirappalli, burying themselves in sand to demand the immediate release of Cauvery water for irrigation.

The demonstration was led by farmers’ association leader Ayya Kannu on Sunday, during which the protesting farmers said that despite repeated appeals for water to save the Kuruvai crop, Karnataka has not released Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

They condemned the Karnataka government, accusing it of treating Tamil Nadu as a “drainage state” by releasing only excess water instead of providing the state’s rightful share. The farmers also reiterated their opposition to the proposed Mekedatu dam project, stating that it would further affect Tamil Nadu’s water availability.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Farmers, led by farmers’ association leader Ayya Kannu, staged a protest by burying themselves in sand of the banks of Cauvery River in Tiruchirappalli demanding the immediate release of Cauvery water for irrigation.

The protesters alleged that despite… pic.twitter.com/P2p2SLb1r7

— ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2026

Kannu, who led the protest, urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to file a suit in the Supreme Court demanding Rs 1 lakh crore in compensation for the state’s agricultural community.

“The Supreme Court of India gave directions to the Karnataka government to release water to Tamil Nadu every month. So far, more than 80 TMC of water is in Karnataka. Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar refused to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu. The day before yesterday, there was heavy rain in Kerala. Due to that, the water came to Tamil Nadu. We can direct it to the Bhavanisagar Dam, but the politicians here have not taken any steps,” he said.

“If they do not release the water, they will cause damage in Karnataka. Now they are releasing 25,000 cusecs of water to save their people and state. Our CM, Joseph Vijay, must file a suit in the Supreme Court demanding Rs 1 lakh crore from Karnataka. They must give it to the farmers,” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, BJP State Secretary Vinoj P Selvam criticised the Tamil Nadu government, alleging that it has failed to take adequate steps to secure the state’s share of water and protect the interests of Delta farmers.

Speaking to reporters, Selvam said, “It is very disheartening that the TVK government has not taken any steps to ensure that the rights of the Tamil people are being justified, that the water from Karnataka gets released immediately, and that the farmers of the Delta region receive the good news that the water is reaching them anytime soon.”

Alleging that the state government’s priorities were misplaced, he said, “But unfortunately, the Chief Minister is busy making drone shots and red carpet welcomes. The farmers need water, and we need to ensure that the water security of the state is not compromised at any cost.”

The Cauvery water dispute is a long-running inter-state river water-sharing conflict with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu being the principal parties. The dispute revolves around how the waters of the Cauvery River should be shared, particularly during years of low rainfall.

The issue resurfaced amid developments concerning the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, proposed by Karnataka. It has been a major point of friction between the two states, with Tamil Nadu traditionally opposing it on the grounds that it would affect the flow of water downstream. (ANI)