TIRUNELVELI: District Collector Dr KP Karthikeyan has said farmers can lift silt from 619 tanks across the district after obtaining permission from their respective taluk offices. Addressing the farmers' grievance day meeting on Friday, he said, "To increase the soil fertility, the state government has permitted the farmers to lift the silt from 619 tanks across this district free of cost.
These tanks, which fall under the control of the Public Works Department and Rural Development Department, have been listed in the government gazette based on the farmers' demand. The farmers can apply for permit on Thursdays and Saturdays with their taluk office and lift the silt for agriculture purposes. So far, 147 farmers have lifted 38,780 cubic metre of silt in 83 tanks."
The collector also said his administration has sent a proposal to the state government seeking compensation to banana farmers who have lost their crops to strong winds on March 30, April 3 and 21 in Tirunelveli, Manur, Radhapuram, Cheranmahadevi and Ambasamudram taluks. "The district received 70.5 mm rainfall in April and 51.15 mm rainfall in May and the farmers have cultivated gram crops over 2,655 ha," he added.