Tamil Nadu Farmers Livelihood Protection Movement has urged both the Central and the State Governments to halt the ongoing installation of high tension electric towers on farm lands immediately, failing which members of the farmers’ associations and political parties would stop the project in all the districts.
The Movement, a union of various farmers’ association, held its first meeting at Chennimalai here on Saturday in which three resolutions were adopted.
While one resolution called for halting of HT tower installation works immediately, another one wanted the GAIL gas pipelines and Irugur - Devangunthi Petroleum and Petroleum Produce Pipeline (IDPL) to be laid along the roads and not through farm lands. The third resolution wanted the Pandiyaru – Punnampuzha scheme, Anaimalaiyaru – Nallaru scheme and interlinking of rivers implemented immediately.
Addressing media persons, Erode MP and MDMK leader A. Ganeshamurthi said that these projects, water scarcity and poor price for farm produce were affecting the farmers and wanted the projects halted immediately. He alleged that the State Government was making use of police force to grab land from farmers, to be given to corporates. They added that the farmers were not against these projects, but wanted them to be implemented without affecting their livelihoods.
Members of Parliament S. Jothimani (Karur), K. Subbarayan (Tiruppur), K. Shanmugasundaram (Pollachi) and A.K.P. Chinraj (Namakkal) spoke.
