Urging the Central and State governments to announce as policy decision that new high tension (HT) power line projects would be implemented only through underground cables, members of Joint Movement of Farmers Against High Tension Power Line Projects would go ahead with their road block protest at 50 places in 13 districts on November 18.
Addressing media persons here on Saturday, coordinators Eesan, K.V. Ponnaiyan, C.M. Thulasimani and R. Raguraman said the livelihood of 2.5 lakh farmers was affected due to the erection of HT power lines through farm lands as value of their land had fallen. As farmers were unable to reap profit from farming, the value of their land was their only source of livelihood. But immense damage was caused to their lands through these projects.
They said that 12 tower line projects were currently implemented in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Tiruchi, Karur and Dindigul districts and affected farmers in these districts had formed the movement. They would block roads in their respective districts on Monday.
Their demands included implementing all the future power line projects only through underground cables along the road, scrapping the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and replacing it with a new act that addressed the concerns of affected farmers, paying four-four compensation to the affected farmers on the prevailing market rate and providing monthly rent to the farmers on whose lands towers were already installed.
