THOOTHUKUDI: Over hundred farmers laid siege to the district collectorate here on Monday, demanding immediate disbursement of the long-pending insurance relief for their crops damaged during the 2020-21 season.
The farmers from Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Ettayapuram, Vilathikulam, and Pudur regions, who had cultivated pulses, were led by Karisal Boomi Vivasayigal Sangam Secretary Jeyachandran and Dry Land Farmers Association President Navaneedhan.
The farmers had lost their black gram and green gram crops due to the unseasonal rainfall during the fiscal 2020-21. The pulses accounted for the majority area of the crops cultivated in the district.
Jeyachandran, a former vice-chairman of the Kayathar union, charged that the officials of the agriculture and revenue departments had deferred the time and schedule supposed to be adhered to disburse the amount, and were dilly-dallying. While the insurance relief for farmers who cultivated crops such as maize, chilly, and onion was given at the earliest, the rest of the farmers have not received the amount yet, he said.
Navaneedhan said the maize farmers were given a timely insurance relief based on a village-wise sampling on crop damage, but the relief amount for the farmers who grew pulses was being calculated based on a firka-wise sampling.
Meanwhile, a group of villagers from Rajapudhukudi, too, besieged the collectorate demanding potable water for their village. The village president, who also participated in the protest, said the potable water supplied under the Seevalaperi Combined Water Scheme was disconnected three years ago. Even as drinking water to Virudhunagar, Kovilpatti, and Aruppukottai through the scheme is being pumped at Rajapudhukudi, the local villagers are left to purchase a pot of drinking water for Rs 10.
"Though the civic body sunk a bore well to meet the drinking water demands, TANGEDCO has not given power supply yet," the president said.
In another incident, 40-year-old K Murugesan from Savalaperi village near Alantha, attempted to die by suicide in front of the collectorate. Murugesan said he had got permission to run an Aavin milk parlour in his village, however, some of the locals were objecting to the venture. Despite petitions, the police and the district administration have not taken any proper steps to resolve the issue, he said. Police foiled the suicide bid and escorted Murugesan to the SIPCOT police station for inquiry.
Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu's health helpline 104 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.