Farmers unanimously appealed to Collector M. Ravikumar, who presided over a meeting to redress their grievances here on Thursday, to recommend waiver of farm loans taken from nationalised banks too.
Hailing the State government’s announcement on farm loan waiver, farmers, who took part in the meeting, said the government should waive loans provided by nationalised banks also, taking into consideration their plight. Krishnamurthy from Ettayapuram said if the government did not consider this request farmers would stage a protest.
The Collector assured that their demand would be taken to the notice of the government.
On the demand for the formation of a milk producers’ union, the Collector said proposals for formation of a milk project had been made to Minister for Dairy Development S.P. Shunmuganathan, who is from Thoothukudi. Perumal from Thoothukudi alleged that there were large-scale irregularities in a milk chilling centre in Kovilpatti, where officials denied payment for milk procurement, citing deficiency in quality. .
Farmers affiliated to MDMK, who had gagged themselves with black cloth, staged a walkout condemning the district administration for not holding farmers’ grievance meetings over the last few months. Farmers from Peikulam demanded release of water to save agriculture.
Earlier, the Collector said the government had given approval for the dream project of interlinking Vembar-Vaipar-Gundar rivers and also for construction of check dams in Korampallam and Muthalapuram, for which funds were awaited. Further, he said, crop insurance of Rs.13, 99, 000 had been sanctioned for 798 banana farmers of Srivaikuntam and Tiruchendur for crop damage. In Srivaikuntam anicut, about 85 per cent of desilting work in the third reach and 44 per cent in the fourth reach had been completed. Joint Director of Agriculture P. Vanniarajan, Kovilpatti Revenue Divisional Officer, S. Kannabiran, Tiruchendur RDO Thyagarajan, Executive Engineer of PWD, Subramaniam and others attended.
