Alleging that there were irregularities in drought relief, crop loss assessment and disbursal, several farmers staged a walk-out at the grievances day meet here on Friday.
Shortly after the meeting convened with Collector A. Annadurai in the chair, a section of farmers led by the State vice-president of the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam Kakkarai R. Sukumaran trooped into the hall with empty pots dangling from their collar and holding aloft lighted sticks to show the plight of farmers, staged a protest and gheraoed the officials on the dais.
They alleged that no proper compensation was awarded to farmers all these six years of drought. Despite the entire State being declared drought hit, administrative follow up action has been missing and crop loss compensation has not been quantified and disbursed properly. Since the AIADMK regime was not ‘functioning’ for the past one year, the Centre must dismiss the ruling government, they demanded.
All the affected farmers must be granted ₹30,000 an acre and all loans of all farmers with nationalised, private and cooperative sector institutions must be waived to save them from ending their life, Mr. Sukumaran said before staging a walk-out and breaking pots outside the complex.
Raising similar issues, Swamimalai R. Vimalnathan, secretary, Thanjavur Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, said that power shutdowns have become quite frequent affecting the people. There were huge irregularities and lack of transparency in quantifying and disbursing the minimum crop loss amount announced by the State Government.
Despite more than 100 days after the government declared the entire State as drought hit and announced crop loss compensation, farmers in several areas in Thanjavur district have not been given compensation and nothing moved even after several complaints to the officials, he said before returning the compensation he had received to stage another walk-out.
A farmer K.S. Veerarajendran from Konerirajapuram said that when farmers enquired about crop loss compensation with officials at Tiruvaiyaru, they were told that there was not adequate funds.
Mr. Annadurai assured the agitated farmers that crop loss compensation was being given to all eligible farmers and there was no partiality in the exercise. There was absolute transparency and said farmers could bring to his knowledge any discrepancy in the endeavour.
