Tiruchirapalli: A rally of a farmers association in Tamil Nadu on July 5 demanded that the centre takeover Cauvery river's management at least on an adhoc basis to help the state's farm community, facing a crisis due to non-availability of Cauvery water for "Kuruvai" cultivation.

A resolution passed at the rally organised by Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, headed by M R Sivasamy, said the Union Government should take over the management of the inter-state river as the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) had "proved to be powerless and futile" in getting Tamil Nadu's share of water from Karnataka.

It warned that the situation would worsen unless the centre assumed charge of the river management.

Kuruvai crop could not be taken up due to poor storage in Mettur dam across the Cauvery and Karnataka had refused to release water into the river as requested by Tamil Nadu.

Another resolution demanded the state government to declare the affected districts as drought-hit areas and extend relief to the farmers and farm workers.

Decrying distrain proceedings against farmers to recover agricultural loans, the resolution said it was absurd to seize tractors and farm implements when the farmers were reeling under debts.

The rally, attended by hundreds of farmers, also urged the government to do away with electricity metres for pump sets, saying there was no need for them when power was supplied free of cost. It was also decided to picket electricity board offices in the last week of July.

PTI