Farmers not satisfied in talks with minister on HT towers

A group of farmers, representatives from western districts met Thangamani at his office in Secretariat and held talks with him for more than two hours.

During the talks, farmers demanded the government to drop the plan of erecting HT towers in farm lands and to undertake underground cabling, for which the minister refused.

After the talks, the farmers spoke to the media persons and said that minister informed them that underground cabling for long distance was not possible. According to Shanmugam, Coordinator, Farmers Against Erection of HT Towers in Agriculture Lands, “Minister informed us that cables of more than 400 kilo watt cannot be laid underground for long distances and it is not safe.”

He also added that minister had told them that underground cables were not laid for long distances anywhere in the country and it is not feasible economically. “Minister told us that when compared to the overhead cables laying underground cables costs 10 times more and the central government is not interested in spending the money.Underground cables are suited more to cities like Chennai and Coimbatore but not to village,” Shanmugam added. When farmers asked minister to suspend the works until the talks are completed, minister had refused saying that they can consider hiking the rent for the HT towers laid in the agricultural lands.

Shanmugam added that they will not allow the workers to lay the HT towers in the field without the permission of farmers and added that they will go back and will inform the rest of farmers to take a decision on their next step.

Earlier, nearly 1,500 farmers from western districts have arrived in Chennai to stage waiting protest till the government suspends the project of erecting HT towers in the agricultural lands.