Cauvery dispute: As Karnataka holds bandh TN formers demand permanent solution

Trichy: Demanding the immediate setting up of Cauvery Management Board, as directed by the Supreme Court, a group of farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy partially buried themselves in the sand on the banks of the Cauvery River on Friday. Battling the blazing sun, the farmers who were carrying garlands and skulls around their necks, buried themselves in the hot sand.

The protest was led by farmer leader Ayyakannu who said, "The Supreme Court had ordered the Central government to create the Cauvery Management Board within six weeks. But the central government is behaving like an enemy of the farmers of Tamil Nadu by refusing to take any action." "We have no choice but to die, and that is why we are protesting like this" he added. The police intervened and forcibly evicted the protesting farmers from the Cauvery River bank.

On 16 February 2018, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to form the CMB to implement a formula for sharing of water between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In the ruling, the top court reduced Tamil Nadu's share in the Cauvery water to 177.25 thousand million cubic feet. Political parties in Tamil Nadu have been protesting continuously demanding the formation of the Cauvery Management Board, including Tamil Nadu bandh on Wednesday.