Schemes affecting ryots may be major issue in LS elections

The license issued to big corporates, including Vedanta, for hydrocarbon extraction, the permission given by the Centre to prepare a DPR for the Mekedatu dam, the Chennai-Salem eight lane project, erecting High-Tension (HT) towers in farmlands in 13 districts of the State have adversely affected the farmers here. Even the opposition parties took up these issues and joined the farmers in their protests.

Chinnathurai, Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, said that more than 10 lakh acres of farmlands in the delta districts are dependent on the Cauvery for irrigation. “Under the circumstance, the Centre took two decisions that are detrimental to our welfare, namely the hydrocarbon extraction scheme and giving permission to the Mekedatu project.”

“We demand both the State and Central governments to announce the delta districts as an agricultural zone and refrain from implementing any scheme that will destroy farming in the region,” said Chinnathurai. According to K P Perumal, treasurer, Tamil Nadu Farmers Union, “More than 85 lakh farmers have come out of the PM crop insurance scheme since 2016-17. Despite the claims of PM Narendra Modi, most farmers do not get sufficient amount when their crop is damaged due to natural calamities.”

Recalling the Central government’s assurance that it would implement the recommendations of M S Swaminathan committee in giving the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to crops, he said it has failed to do so till now.

“For instance, the MSP for long-staple cotton is around Rs 5,400 but the farmers are not even given Rs 4,500. Farmers were also expecting the Centre to write off their farm loans due to increasing drought. This will have a negative impact on the BJP-led Central government in the upcoming election,” said Perumal. When contacted, K Balakrishnan, CPM State Secretary, demanded the State government to stop laying the H-T towers on farmlands and to enhance the rent given to farmers for erecting the towers.