There was political interference and lack of seriousness in renovation of irrigation tanks under kudimaramathu scheme, said farmers at the grievance meeting here on Friday.
Collector T.S. Rajasekar, who presided, promised to implement the scheme in proper manner.
The Public Works Department has handed over the work of Thenkarai kanmai near Sholavandan to a select farmers while at least 51% of ayacutdars should form and register a society to undertake renovation, said G. Murugan of Mannadimangalam.
“We want eviction of encroachment on 140 acres by over 100 persons inside the water spread area. Eviction and repair of eight sluices will ensure sufficient storage in the tank. But PWD officials were interested in strengthening the bund only. We fear that ₹69 lakh allocated for this work will go waste,” he said.
M.P. Ramar of Chellampatti, another farmer, said that 13 tanks in Usilampatti have been taken up for renovation.
“The ruling party functionaries are adopting “divide and rule” policy and creating enmity among farmers in execution of the work. Not only farmers but officials also are being threatened to ensure that their men are given contract of tank renovation,” he alleged.
P. Manikandan, president of Madurai District Wetland and Dryland Farmers Association, said that the scheme would be beneficial to farmers only if politicians were kept away. “Genuine farmers should be made to execute the work which will help them to save money due to use of mechanised equipment. The saved fund could be used for maintenance of tanks.” he said. The scheme, if implemented in a proper way, will help to improve watertable for more than a decade, he added.
Farmers said compensation was not distributed to them for loss of coconut palms. One of them said that 28,000 coconut trees had withered in Kottampatti due to drought during the last nine years. These farmers had failed to insure their palms. “The district administration should help the farmers with some relief as done in the past,” he said.
Another farmer N. Palanichamy alleged that they had lost at least 1.5 lakh coconut palms in the district over the years. While some of them had been given relief, officials have not taken proper survey about loss of coconut palms.
Pandian, another farmer, complained that the present crop insurance scheme was beneficial to private insurance companies. “Instead, the State or Central government should give insurance cover to farmers. Private companies quote vague rules to deny benefits to farmers,” he said.
