Farmers stage hunger strike in Namakkal
Over 2,000 farmers in Namakkal district staged a hunger strike to protest the suspension of water discharge from the Jederpalayam barrage. The lack of water has severely impacted the cultivation of betel leaf, banana, and sugarcane across 30,000 acres.
Why it matters
The protest highlights the ongoing struggle for water rights and agricultural sustainability in rural India, impacting local food supply chains.
Farmers staged a hunger strike at Paramathi Velur in Namakkal district demanding to discharge water for farming on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
The water discharged from the Jederpalayam barrage to Raja Vaikkal was stopped by the Water Resources Department on July 28. Farmers alleged that the cultivation of betel leaf, banana, and sugarcane on 30,000 acres of land in Paramathi Velur, Pothanur, Nanjai Idaiyaru, and Palapatti has been affected due to the lack of water, prompting them to announce a hunger strike.
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