COIMBATORE: With her hunger strike entering the ninth day, the protest by a 40-year-old woman at Kothapalayam near Semmandampalayam demanding shifting a high tension power line got bigger on Friday as farmers gathered in front of her house in a show of support. T Krishnaveni, wife of Thiruvasagam, sat on a hunger strike in her house on Thursday last demanding officials to shift the line.
She alleged that Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited (TANTRANSCO) deviated from the actual path because of which the line passed over her house. Her health deteriorated on Friday as she has been taking only water. The news about her protest spread and large number of farmers converged on the village.
As talks by officials from revenue, electricity and police department did not yield result, a huge posse of police was deployed as tension gripped the place. Karumathampatti police took into custody over 40 farmers to prevent escalation of the situation.
According to Krishnaveni, the family purchased 75 cents and constructed a house in 2016. They allegedly were not informed about the high voltage transmission line project when they purchased the land.
Collector GS Sameeran refuted her charge and said, “The project’s plan was made before 2016 and the it was a vacant plot then. A feasibility study was conducted to ensure only a minimum number of land holders would be affected. If the plan is changed (as Krishnaveni demands) a large number of land owners will be affected. As there was no alternative, the line was made with considerable height than other line. Also, ample compensation was handed over. We are trying to convince her to end the fast.”