The need for adequate number of direct purchase centres, protection of waterbodies and proper waste management were some of the important issues stressed at the farmers’ grievance meeting held at the Madurai Collectorate on Friday.
Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar presided over the meeting.
Complaining about encroachments on the waterbodies, the farmers urged the officials to conduct a survey in order to ascertain the extent of waterbodies and take necessary steps to retrieve them. Some of the farmers said that waterbodies in Tirupparankundram should be inspected.
A farmer from Erkudi Achampathu complained about sewage water getting mixed with water channels, which, in turn, affected the agricultural fields. He urged authorities to take appropriate action and ensure that the sewage water does not get mixed with the water channel.
The farmers urged the authorities to open more number of direct purchase centres in the district. The authorities said that the issue was being looked into and depending upon the need, the direct purchase centres would be opened.
Certain sections of farmers also demanded that minimum wages for load men at the direct purchase centres should be increased from ₹ 10 per paddy bag to ₹ 20 per paddy bag. Complaints were also made about the indiscriminate stone quarrying in the district.
The other complaints included the need for better roads, adequate compensation to farmers who suffered crop loss and removal of seemai karuvelam (prosopis juliflora) trees.
The Collector told the farmers that their grievances would be redressed. He asked the officials to look into the petitions and respond.
