Tamil Nadu - Erode   

Farmers object to new bill on agriculture

ERODE: Farmers have raised objections to the State Government’s bill on agriculture, tabled in the Assembly recently.

Raising the issue at the monthly farmers’ grievance meeting, held here at the Collectorate on Friday, R. Selvam said the new bill ‘A bill to regulate Agricultural Practice and to provide for the establishment of Agricultural Council and the maintenance of register of persons having qualification in agriculture or horticulture and for matters connected therewith’ was ‘anti-farmer.’

Referring to the sections of the bill, he said if implemented, it would allow only persons with agriculture qualification to practice as agricultural practitioners and punish others like farmers, who had traditional knowledge. He termed it a ‘surrender to multi-national companies’.

T. Subbu of Tamizhaga Vivasayeegal Sangam wanted the district administration to look into the execution of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Drawing Collector R. Sudalaikannan’s attention, he said fellow farmers’ and his audit of the work at Perode revealed irregularities.

He suggested that the Collector inspect the work carried out.

The farmer then talked about encroachment in canal that supplied water from Surampatty Anaikattu. “For long farmers’ demand for an eviction drive had yielded no result, as the Public Works Department officials said they were waiting for action from the Revenue Department and staff from the latter said they were working out a resettlement scheme for the evicted-to-be and in the process farmers had lost several months.”

Mr. Subbu wanted the district administration to act at the earliest to remove the canal of encroachments. Farmers with lands getting water from the Lower Bhavani Project wanted to know the date of water release.

Referring to the increase in storage in the Bhavani Sagar Dam, they wanted the date to be August 15.

V.M. Velayudham of Kalingarayan farmers’ association sought details on the project proposed to build a wall to protect the canal from effluents. He also wanted action on erring dyeing, bleaching and processing units and tanneries that discharged effluents.

A. Mohan of Mettur West Bank Canal farmers’ association urged the PWD officials to announce the date of water release. “If it is the same date of release of water from the Stanley Reservoir, it will be good,” he suggested.

The other issues the farmers raised include the delay in building a turmeric market complex, banana marketing centre in Kodumudi or Sivagiri, need for farm mechanisation, changes to crop insurance rules, etc.

Towards the end of the meeting officials responded to farmers’ grievances, complaints and suggestions.

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Farmers object to new bill on agriculture

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