A drought-like situation was prevailing in around Shoolagiri and Berigai areas, which is the creation of realtors who have encroached thousands of acres along water bodies, said K. Balakrishnan, State president, Tamilnadu Vivasayigal Sangam at Berigai on Wednesday.
Addressing a special conference of the Sangam at Berigai near Shoolagiri, Mr. Balakrishnan said thousands of acres in around and Shoolagiri and Berigai become fallow lands because of the tricks played by realtors. The fertile land in these areas became fallow as water became non available. More than 80 lakes have dried up. The only solution to this problem was to bring water from the perennial South Pennar through the Kodiayalam Check Dam.
Mr. Balakrishnan asked the district administration to probe the designs of realtors who are changing fertile farm lands into fallow and later selling them as housing plots.
He said all encroachments on water bodies should be removed and ensure that water reached the 80-odd lakes from South Pennar.
He alleged that the government had stopped giving patta to land cultivated by farmers in Hosur and Denkanikottai areas.
About two lakh farmers had committed suicide in India, as farming was heading from bad to worse, Mr. Balakrishnan added.
S.G. Munyiappa, Shoolagiri PU secretary presided over the conference. M. Dharman, district president, X. Irudhayaraj, district secretary, R. Sekar, president, Tribals Welfare Association among others spoke.
