Protesting against the proposed amendments to the Electricity Act, 2003, office bearers of Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association staged a demonstration in Natrampalli on Friday.
The protesters were taken into custody for organising the protest amidst lockdown, which is in force till June 30.
Leading the demonstration, State general secretary of Federation of Tamil Nadu Farmers' Associations A. C. Venkatesan said that steps should be taken to protect the interests of the domestic consumers and farmers who would be affected by the Bill.
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It may be recalled that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanswami approached the Central government with a request to drop the proposed amendments in the Electricity Act, 2003, for which a draft Bill has been circulated to all the State governments and stakeholders for hearing their comments. The draft Bill was issued on April 17.
A.M. Sivalingam, district secretary of farmers' association, said the new amendment would lead to cost escalation in prodcution for the farmers, who had been facing innumerable problems all these years.
Mr. Venkatesan stressed the expedition of Thenpennai-Palar river linking project and said that water flow should be ensured at Chetteri-Velakkalnatham dam as part of the project.
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He also reiterated the demand that the dam construction undertaken by the Karanataka government on Markendeya river, which is a tributary river for river Palar, should not be allowed. Likewise, steps should be taken to prevent Andhra Pradesh from continuing the construction of several check dams across the Palar river, he said.