Representatives of farmer associations from across the district aired their grievances at a meeting held at the Collectorate here on Friday.
Collector S Visakan presided over the first in-person meeting after the pandemic struck.
A total of 52 petitions were received by the administration.
The petitions included demands for removal of encroachments in waterbodies, fertilizer subsidy, agricultural inputs subsidy, cooperative society credit etc.
S. R. Rengamani, president of Farmers’ Association, Dindigul said that three officials at Vadungapaadi Cooperative Agriculture Bank, Gujiliamparai taluka do not issue receipts for applications of community certificate, legal heir certificate, chitta adangal etc applied online. But the money goes into their pockets, he charged. Collector S. Visakan directed the matter to District Cooperative Registrar and assured it will be looked into.
A farmer, Rajendran from Oddanchatram, complained about the constant increase in prices of fertilizers to which the Collector responded, “Switching back to organic farming is one of the best solutions to tackle this.” Buyers are ready to pay the fixed prices for ‘organic’ produce in the market, he added.
Few farmers protested the domination of a few representatives of farmers’ association for a long time, denying opportunities for others to air their grievances. The Collector intervened and calmed down the angry farmers.
Earlier, a group of farmers staged a walkout as no officials were present at the scheduled time. The Collector persuaded the farmers to attend the meeting and said that he was held up in a discussion of the Agricultural Production Council with officials of the Agricultural and Allied Department.
Farmers attempt a walkout during the grievance day meeting held at Dindigul Collectorate on Friday. | Photo Credit: KARTHIKEYAN G
