As a move to encourage farmers to lift the silt from water bodies, the Public Works Department has put up banners asking the farmers to contact officials concerned with required documents for obtaining permission and carrying out the work.
According to the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, the district administration has allowed farmers, artisans involved in making earthen pots and brick kiln units to lift silt from permitted water bodies in the district. The message has been disseminated to the farmers through announcements and by officials of various departments. In order to reach more farmers, the PWD has put up banners in the water bodies explaining the procedure involved in obtaining permission for removing silt. The banner asks the farmers to approach the Revenue Divisional Officer, Salem with a certificate obtained from the Village Administrative Officer, copies of title deeds, and a copy of Aadhaar card.
Officials said that meetings were held with farmers in each taluk asking them to utilise the opportunity and life the silt for their farm lands. They added that awareness boards would be placed in all the water bodies were permission were given for lifting the silt.
