Farmers protest against hydrocarbon project

In Thanajvur, the farmers participated the grievance meeting wearing black badge and as soon as the meeting commenced, they raised slogans against the Centre and the state governments. They staged a walkout from the meeting hall and also held a demonstration demanding to withdraw the project that affect the farmers of the Cauvery delta region and demanded to declare the Delta as the Protected Agricultural Zone.

While speaking, Thiruvidaimaruthur Ravichandran said, the farmers are protesting against the hydrocarbon project as it poses a threat to the agricultural activities. The district administration should explain what steps are initiated to prevent the project. The farmers of the region have been protesting against the project and the district administration should send representation to the Centre through the state government to withdraw the project.

Meanwhile, the farmers demanded to increase the moisture condition of the paddy during the procurement. Kuthalingam, a farmer from Sethubavachathriram, said that the irrigation canals should be renovated and even widened for the proper water support. Moreover, the paddy has been infected due to untimely water supply that resulted into a huge revenue loss and the government should get the compensation to the loss, he said.

Swamimalai Vimalnathan said that the insurance claims were not distributed properly since 2016 and the farmers who insured their crop have been shunted from pillar to post to get their compensation.

Similarly, the grievance meet in Tiruchy and Nagapattinam had a severe argument against hydrocarbon project. Further, Asokan said that awareness Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) and medicines were stocked up to face any emergency. CMCH Dean B Asokan said that paediatric male and female quarantine wards, each with four beds, have been kept ready in