The Odampoki Irrigation River Protection Committee has withdrawn its proposal to organise a protest demonstration at Tiruvarur on May 12 against the impingement of Odampoki river bank for road development project.

Inquiries reveal that the Committee, which opposed the project, announced a protest demonstration on May 12 at the Old Bus Stand, Tiruvarur.

Subsequently, a peace committee meeting was held at the Tahsildar Office, Tiruvarur on May 8 where the representatives of the constituents of the Committee - Makkal Adhikaram, Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, Tamil Nadu Nila Urimai Pathukappu Iyakkam and Dr.Ambedkar Makkal Nala Sangam – participated and discussed the issue with the officials from the Highways and Water Resources Departments.

At the meeting the government officials clarified that the road expansion project was being implemented for the usage of general public and retaining walls were not raised encroaching the river. Stating that the road expansion project being implemented on the river banks only, the officials assured that culverts would be created along the carriageway to ensure flow of water to the nearby irrigation channels.

The Committee decided to withdraw its protest demonstration slated for May 12, sources said.

However, social and environment protection activists in Tiruvarur expressed their dissent over the handling of the issue by the government officials involved in the implementation of this project.

The activists on condition of anonymity claimed that the impingement of the banks of Odapoki and Kidaramkondan drain channel, for widening of the carriageways and for creation of Tiruvarur by-pass would definitely have a telling effect on the natural flood drain facility.

Another component of the project, covering the river bed and the drain channel with cement concrete would have a direct impact on the groundwater availability in Tiruvarur town and surrounding areas, an issue said to have not been discussed at the peace committee meeting.

Further, the question of whether an environment impact assessment had been carried out nor not remains unanswered, they added.