Cauvery Management Board protest: Tamil Nadu farmers bury themselves in sand

A year after holding protests in the national capital, Tamil Nadu farmers on Friday stageda protestin their state demanding the formation of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB).

The farmers protested against the center for not setting up the CMB despite Supreme Court's direction.

Agroup of 50 farmers had reached the place to stage protest against the central government, however, only 17 could "highlight" their death-related plight by burying themselves in the sand. Rest of the farmers were not allowed by the police.

The farmers resorted to burying themselves in sand on the Cauvery riverbed at Srirangam where they staged theprotestfor about two hours.

The protest wasled by Ayyakannu, thepresident of National South Indian Rivers Inter-Linking Farmers Association.

Last year the farmers from Tamil Nadu held out a uniqueprotest in Delhi by biting rats and going naked for their demand of complete loan waiver for Rs 40,000 crore drought relief package from the government.

The state has been protesting for longagainst the government for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board.

The ruling AIADMK, led by Chief Minister K Palaniswamy and his deputy O Paneerselvam, had observed a hunger strike on April 4 while the DMK led opposition parties' had observed a state-wide bandh on Thursday.

Meanwhile, to show their protest the political parties were also demanding a ban on the IPL matches from the state.