Blaming the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board officials for their lackadaisical attitude, a majority of the farmers from the Kodaganar River belt in Dindigul district raised apprehensions and demanded stern action against erring industries which discharged effluents in the river.
The monthly farmers’ grievance meeting, which was chaired by Dindigul District Collector S Visagan at the Collectorate was stormy.
Farmers’ blamed the officials for their inaction. “Today, the Kodaganar River looks almost like the Coovam River in Chennai. Repeated pleas to the officials to take action have fallen on deaf ears,” they claimed and urged the Collector to intervene.
Mr. Visagan said the administration would not spare any violator. Be it small industry or any major industry. If they were found violating and discharging their wastes in the Kodaganar, firm action as per the laws shall be initiated.
He said that the farmers’ can be rest assured and directed the Pollution Control Board engineers to issue notice to erring units. He also said that the government shall impose fines and needed, as a last resort, issue closure order of such polluting industries. “I want the response and action taken report in 20 days...” he said.
The farmers’ from Chatrapatti urged the Collector to save them from the single elephant, which had claimed the lives of two farmers in the foothills recently. Immediately, the Collector asked the Forest department officials about the issue and told the farmers’ about the steps being taken to chase the single elephant deep inside the forest.
Meetings at RDO planned
Considering the long distance every farmer had to travel to Dindigul Collectorate, it was suggested to conduct farmers’ grievance meetings at the offices of the Revenue Divisional Offices at Palani and Dindigul. Already, the farmers from Kodaikanal were attending similar meeting at the RDO office in Kodaikanal.
The Collector assured to open Direct Purchase Centres in locations farmers’ suggested after examining the modalities by the officials.
Earlier, the Collector went around the TANFED expo for the farmers at the venue. Joint Director (Agriculture) Anusuya, PWD Executive Engineer (WRO) Gopi, Agriculture Engineering Department EE Krishnakumar and PA to Collector (Agriculture) Ravichandran attended the meeting.
