Farmers in Erode were told on Friday by the district administration that removal of topsoil from Bhavani Sagar reservoir has been put on hold.
The district administration instructed Public Works Department to halt the process on Thursday after the Forest Department in Coimbatore district expressed reservations over removal of the soil citing disturbance to wildlife on the Sirumugai side.
Addressing farmers at the monthly grievances day meeting, District Collector S.Prabakar said a decision on resumption of soil sourcing from the dam will be based on an inspection he would be undertaking on Saturday.
The Collector said this when a participant wanted to know why farmers were refused permission to source soil from the dam. The soil in specified quantities is provided free of cost, the Collector reiterated when another farmer sought to draw the attention of the officials to the charges levied at the dam.
Subi Thalapathy, representative of Thadapally-Arakankottai Channels Ayacut Farmers’ Association sought sole regulation of soil supply by the PWD in waterbodies where the Forest Department also has control.
Responding to a point raised on drought relief, the Collector said of the ₹ 83 crore sanctioned for distribution in the form of subsidy on agricultural inputs, the disbursal to the tune of ₹ 60 crore has been completed.
District Revenue Officer R. Sathish instructed farmers who had not applied so far to submit the required documents at the respective taluk offices on Saturday (May 27).
When sugarcane cultivators complained about what they described as persisting delay by Sakthi Sugar Mill in settling accumulating dues, the Collector informed that a second notice would be sent under Revenue Recovery Act, before deciding on distraint proceedings.
The Collector urged farmers to avail themselves of the utility of drip irrigation scheme, saying ₹ 54 crore has been sanctioned for the district. The farmers were free to choose the inputs of any of the 32 government-approved manufacturers.
Periyasamy of Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam suggested dovetailing of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme with the ongoing works for deepening water bodies. He urged the government to provide compensation for withered coconut trees and emulate Andhra Pradesh Government in carrying out turmeric procurement for ₹ 6500 per quintal.
