A total of 161 representatives of farmers’ associations courted arrest when they came in a procession to stage a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here on Monday. The arrested included 35 women.
T. Indirajit and Ayilai Siva Suriyan, State deputy secretary and district secretary respectively of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the Communist Party of India, Dikshitar V. Balasubramanian, patron of Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, and representatives of women’s wing of the farmers associations.
They all referred to the serious damage to the plantain fields due to drought-prone conditions. It had resulted in the death of a farmrer Sangapillai of Karur district who committed suicide. Mr. Indirajit and Mr. Ayilai Siva. Suriyan said that the Karnatka government should immediately release 26 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu to save the standing crop, as per the directive of the Cauvery supervisory committee.
A. Nagarajan, a progressive horticulturist from Puliyur, said that paddy farmers were the worst-hit. Although the compensation had been sanctioned to farmers, it was not to farmers who had not opted for insurance scheme.
Mr. Balasubramanian wanted waiver of crop loans taken by the farmers.
Tight police security was provided. When policed attempted to prevent them in the early hours, they started shouting for about two hours.