DHARMAPURI: Residents of rural areas in Dharmapuri have demanded the enforcement of the ban on the entry of cage-wheeled tractors onto tarred roads. They are seen especially in the summer when farmers till their land to refresh the soil and unearth pesky pests that lurk beneath.
Speaking to TNIE, S Palani from Melapudur near Paisuhalli, said, "Every road in our village has these thin stripes, almost like someone had scraped off the top layer of tar from the road. These are caused by cage wheels. Usually, such cage wheels are banned from operating on the road, but mostly farmers ignore it; they ride tractors fitted with cage wheels rather than rubber tires. This is because of the lack of proper monitoring from the administration. The departments of rural development, revenue as well as the police and the Regional Transport Office must ensure these tractors with cage wheels do not operate on the roads."
G Muthu from Modhur near Karimangalam said: "These cage wheels are a menace: they occupy the whole road and also damage them. Often farmers remove the wheels of the tractor and install a metal frame in their place. Roads get damaged as the metal frame scrapes the surface. Within months, the tarred layer of the road peels off. Most rural roads across the district have this issue. The local panchayats even put up boards asking farmers not to operate heavy farm machinery on the roads. But the instruction is mostly ignored."
When TNIE reached out to officials in the DRDA, they said, "The damage caused by the cage wheel is extensive. We will take action against farmers operating such machinery. Roads are public property; it is everyone's duty to protect them. We also urge the residents to be socially responsible and alert officials to such actions."