VELLORE: A large number of volunteers belonging to farmers' associations and various non-governmental organisations, led by social worker of Vaniyambadi, M.M. Basheer, observed a one-day token fast on the Palar riverbed here on Saturday, protesting against the move of the Andhra Pradesh Government to construct a dam across the river at Ganesapuram in Kuppam Assembly constituency.

Mr. Basheer said that the move would result in the depletion of the groundwater resources in Vellore, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chennai districts, paralysing the Palar-based integrated drinking water supply schemes in these districts as well as in Tiruvannamalai.

The construction would lead to lakh of acres of agricultural land being rendered fallow, wells becoming dry and the northern districts of Tamil Nadu turning into vast deserts.

Mr. Basheer regretted that the Tamil Nadu Government had not taken any concrete step to prevent the construction.

Speakers including M. Sivaraj, president, Anti-Corruption Movement, Vellore district, C.K. Dhanapal, R. Mullai, A.C. Samikannu and R. Paramasivam of the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association, C. Krishnan, district president of the Tamil Nadu Traders' Association, R.T. Palani, state president of the All India Construction Workers Association, Natarajan of Makkal Sakthi Iyakkam, Sivaprakasam of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Siva and Mahesh of Hindu Munnani, Dasarathan of the Tamil Nadu Native Medicine Practitioners Association, Varadarajan of the Janata Party and N. Subramani, state organising secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam spoke of the need to intensify the agitation.

R. Chandrasekharan, president, Udhavum Ullangal, Vellore inaugurated the fast.

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