The long-pending Double Pond (Rettaikulam) Canal Project, a key election promise made by several political parties and prominently featured in the DMK’s 2021 manifesto, has once again sparked political tension in Tenkasi. The project, aimed at channeling surplus water from the Adavinayanar Dam to benefit 30 villages between Surandai and Uthumalai, remains stalled despite land acquisition being completed years ago.
Estimated at ₹74 crore, the project was expected to bring significant relief to local farmers by providing irrigation to large tracts of dry agricultural land. However, no progress has been made on the ground, leading to growing frustration among residents and local leaders.
Addressing reporters at the Congress district office, Tenkasi MLA Palani Nadar expressed his disappointment with the Tamil Nadu government and Chief Minister MK Stalin, accusing them of betraying the constituency’s trust.
“The main demand of Tenkasi is the Double Pond Canal Project, and the Chief Minister himself had announced it. But nothing has happened. Wherever I go, people scold me, asking what kind of MLA I am,” Nadar said.
He added that the government’s inaction had put him in an embarrassing position with voters ahead of the next election.
“People will not even let me campaign if this continues. The Chief Minister must understand the gravity of the situation and implement this project,” he said.
In an emotional statement, Nadar further declared that he was prepared to execute the project with his own funds if the government would only grant the necessary permission and acquire the remaining 97 acres of land required for canal construction.
“If the government gives approval and acquires the land, I will complete the project at my own expense. It is painful that the Chief Minister has deceived me and the people of Tenkasi,” he said.
The Double Pond Canal Project, originally conceptualized during the K. Kamaraj regime, has remained on paper for decades despite repeated assurances from successive governments.
In a televised interview, Palani Nadar reiterated that residents were increasingly losing patience and that the government’s repeated postponements had left the constituency “in a hostile mood.”
“Officials keep saying the announcement will come next month, but nothing happens. Without this project, we cannot face the people during elections,” he remarked.
The MLA concluded by reaffirming his commitment to seeing the project through even if it meant funding it personally, to uphold the promise made to the people of Tenkasi.
(Source: Vikatan)
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
