The Hindu : Hartal hits farming operations in Kuttanad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 16, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Hartal hits farming operations in Kuttanad

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA, MARCH 15. A hartal called by the Kuttanad Paddy Farmers' Protection Action Council brought agricultural activities in Kuttanad taluk to a standstill today.

The hartal was called to press the State Government to give adequate compensation to the farmers who suffered loss owing to the intrusion of salt water into their paddy fields and the drought-like situation in the taluk. The Council wanted the Government to take steps to prevent intrusion of saline water into the fields in future.

Shops and business establishments in the taluk spread over Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts remained closed. However, government offices functioned as usual and vehicular traffic was not affected. The striking farmers assembled at the Alappuzha municipal grounds and marched to the Collectorate before blocking its main gate for an hour.

The Council convener, Fr. Thomas Peelianikkal, who inaugurated the blockade, said the compensation of Rs.600 per acre announced by the Government was inadequate. He demanded that the compensation be raised to Rs.8,000. He said the maintenance work on the Thottappally spillway should be done properly.

The other demands of the council include proper functioning of the Thrikkunnappuzha regulator and Thanneermukkom barriage through which salt water enters Kuttanad.

Free seeds, fertilizers: The farmers later submitted a memorandum to the Agriculture Minister, K.R. Gouri, who was present at the Collectorate. The Minister assured the farmers that the Government would provide seeds and fertilizers free of cost to them for the next crop in Kuttanad. She said that lime would be distributed free of cost to the farmers to help them remove the salinity in their fields.

The Minister said taluk-level committees would be formed to monitor freshwater distribution to the public at various places in Kuttanad.

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