Farmers of nearly 10 villages in Walajah and Katpadi taluks are worried about their land after a group of officials made stone markings on several of their properties stretching 20 km almost four months ago.
Villagers said they were clueless about the project for which the markings had been made and have petitioned district officials seeking clarity.
On Monday, during the weekly public grievance redressal meeting, representatives of a farmers’ association brought the issue to the notice of the district administration.
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L.C. Mani, district assistant secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasaigal Sangam, said the stone markings were done in 10 villages from Edapalayam to Kodiyur and covering Lalapet, Nellikuppam, Katharikuppam, Kumanathangal, Kondakuppam, Palleri and Vasur villages.
“The stones erected on several plots of agricultural land have been marked with IOCL, GPS and so on in yellow colour. We learned about this only a week ago, and immediately took it up with revenue officials but they were not aware of this. We also met the Collector last week, and submitted a petition on Monday. The villagers are clueless as to why many of their fields were marked. They do not know from where officials came from,” he said.
The stone markings were also found on wells, waterbodies and canals in these areas, he added.
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He observed that the owners of the lands were not informed about the purpose of the markings.
‘Group erected pillars’
S. Venkatesan, a farmer in Vasur, said that nearly four to five months ago, a group of officers erected two stone pillars on his land.
“I asked them who they were and why they had entered my field but they spoke in Hindi and I did not understand a word. Later, some workers came to the land and erected two stone pillars after digging three to four feet. But even they did not tell me why,” he said.
He recalled how they sternly told the farmers not to disturb the markings in any way.
“We raise crops including groundnut, ragi, paddy and sugarcane. Many like me are scared that some huge gas pipeline project is coming up here. Nobody is giving us any information. We want a clear picture on what project is coming up as it involves agricultural lands. But we are definitely opposed to any project that will destroy our land,” he said.
R. Subash, president of Vellore east district, Tamizhaga Vivasaigal Sangam, along with nine farmers, visited the land on Monday.
“On some plots, the stone markings have been erected in the centre. Markings have also been done on transformers and rocks. We want officials to clarify what work has been proposed in this part of the district,” he said.
An official of the district administration said they had not received any intimation.