THENI
Eighty four farmers — all from Maharashtra — who have been camping in a private building resorted to a demonstration seeking the officials to send them back home on Friday.
Officials said that prior to the national lockdown, the farmers, including women and children, had come here to work for a sugar mill. They were engaged in sugarcane cutting on a contract basis. For every tonne of sugarcane cut, they were paid ₹ 750.
Even as they were about to leave home, the curfew forced them to stay back. Though the mill management had made arrangements, the district administration also chipped in and enquired about their health. Screening was done periodically by health teams to ensure that they were normal due to the prevailing COVID-19.
However, the farmers demanded that they be let off to go back home.
After persuasion, they were taken to the sugar mill premises where the officials assured to work out the modalities for their return soon.
