Over 200 farmers and cadre of various political parties were removed by the police after they staged road blockade at three places in the district here on Monday urging the Central and State governments to implement all the future power line projects only through underground cables and scrapping the Indian Telegraph Act 1885.
Opposing the erection of high tension power transmission towers on farm lands and power lines passing over their lands, various farmers association in 13 districts have formed Joint Movement of Farmers Against High Tension Power Line Projects and were staging protests.
Their key demands include overhead high tension power lines be replaced with underground cables that need to be laid along the road in the future projects, scrapping of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 as they claim it as anti-farmers and replace it with a new Act that address the concerns of affected farmers, compensation to the affected farmers on the prevailing market rate and also providing monthly rent to the farmers on whose land towers were already installed.
The farmers along with cadre of various political parties staged road blockade at Chennimalai, Bhavani and Modakurichi.At Modakurichi DMK leader Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan took part while coordinator K.V. Ponnaiyan and AITUC district present S. Chinnasamy took part at Chennimalai. They raised slogans. Police personnel removed them and lodged them at marriage halls.
Dharmapuri Special Correspondent adds
In Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam staged a protest outside the main post office.
According to the farmers’ organisation, the high voltage power lines entails acquisition of 40 metre to 60 metre wide farm land and also forbids a wide range of farm activities and cropping patters up to 33 metres from the towers. The power lines passing through 13 districts in the State has seen a string of protests over the past many months.
The Sangam dubbed the Indian farmers as the scapegoat for all “so called development projects”. The protests cited the expressway project, the hydrocarbon project, Methane project, Gail gas line project, six-lane expansion projects and similar high voltage transmission lines of Tangedco among others “usurping the lands of the farmers.”
According to the farmers’ association, such projects should be scrapped and the high tension power transmission lines should be directed underground and not over farmlands.
Salem/Namakkal Staff Reporter adds
In Salem, farmers staged a protest against the scheme at Vazhapadi, Mecheri and Sankagiri. They demanded that the government should expedite the project through cables on roadsides instead of erecting towers in agricultural lands. They said that no solutions were found in the discussions held with Electricity Minister in this connection and demanded that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to interfere in the issue and take necessary action.
In Namakkal, members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam and Confederation of Farmers’ Associations staged road roko at Padaiveedu, Erumapatti and Pallipalayam here. They demanded that government pay monthly rents for land previously utilised for various projects.
