The Hindu : Bahoor ryots forum calls for bandh on Aug. 13

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 10, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

Bahoor ryots forum calls for bandh on Aug. 13

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry Aug. 9. The Farmers Union owing allegiance to the CPI has called for a dawn to dusk bandh in Bahoor commune on August 13 to ventilate the plight of ryots in the area.

D.Geethanathan, the secretary of the Union and A. Ramamoorthy, the Deputy Secretary of Pondicherry State CPI Committee told presspersons here today that though 750 acres of standing paddy crop had been affected by the salinity of sub soil water in the commune, no step had been taken by the Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy to come to the rescue of the farmers.

Despite repeated agitations by the union, the official machinery had not taken steps to solve the problem.

Drinking water was also not been available for the villagers in Bahoor and consequently water was being supplied in tankers. He said the per capita expenditure incurred for raising crop in Bahoor by farmers was Rs 10,000 and crop loss had landed them in penury. Compensation should be given to the ryots and community borewells should also be erected by Department of Agriculture so that farm operations would not suffer a setback.

The bandh was also aimed at urging the authorities to ensure that the legislation enacted in 1996 to protect sub soil water be enforced without delay. Krimambakka, Pannithittu,Bahoor,Kuruvinatham and Araichikuppam had been badly affected because of brakish soil water caused by industries funcitoning in the commune. They regretted that the Agriculture Minister had not visited the affected villages so far.

They alleged that the Chief Minster had played down the seriousness of the situation on the ground that not much loss had been caused to ryots. Referring to the drought situation in Karaikal Geethanathan said that it was really surprising that even as the crop loss there would touch as high as Rs 50 crores the Central assistance sought by the Centre was only around Rs 33 crores. Alternative work should be available for the women farm labourers, relief to the ryots in the form of cash assistance and steps to relieve them of sufferings on war footing were some of the demands of the ryots. Even when the AICC leader Sonia Gandhi convened a meeting on drought situation in Congress ruled States none from Pondicherry participated in the deliberations.

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