TIRUPPUR: Hundreds of farmers affected by the Irugur-Devangonthi Pipeline Project (IDPL) by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) protested in front of the collectorate on Monday demanding that the state government avoid using police to intimidate farmers who are protesting the project. The protest also demanded that compensation be fixed at Rs 2 lakh per cent for the farmers' land.
The demonstration was in response to the pipeline construction work being carried out with police protection at Olapalayam, Kangeyam, on Monday.
While addressing reporters, Easan Murugasamy, founder of the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam (TVPS), said, "To transport petrol and diesel at lower rates to Karnataka, which acts against Tamil Nadu farmers' interest in the Cauvery water dispute and border issues, the state government and the district administration of Tiruppur are forcibly seizing agricultural land of TN farmers by using police.
There is already a policy decision that pipelines should not be laid through agricultural land and that such projects should only be implemented along the roadside. However, the government is implementing the project by intimidating farmers through the police."
Furthermore, he said, "Very low compensation is being paid for the farmers' land. Steps should be taken to fix the compensation `2 lakh per cent."
Following the protest, farmers and representatives of various political parties met Collector Manish Narnaware and submitted a petition. The Collector, who received the petition, assured to take appropriate action.