TIRUCHY: Even as political parties are stacking up a series of promises on their manifestoes, farmers across the district are pinning their hopes on the new government to address long-pending issues, including those related to direct procurement centres and irrigation. Ayilai Sivasooriyan, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, said, “Irrigation is the first issue which farmers face every season.
Though major irrigation canals are properly dredged and maintained, there are still some branch canals which fail to bring water to interior areas. Once elected, we expect the new government to issue orders on maintenance of all branch canals across blocks like Aandhanallur and Jeeyapuram, among others.”
Branch canals are needed to bring Cauvery water to the Panjappatti lake spread over 1,000 acres, which can irrigate 40,000 acres. The lake has been dry for over a decade, he added.
Pu Viswanathan, State president of Tamil Nadu Ponds and Rivers Irrigation Farmers Association, said more check-dams have to be built across the district as they can improve the water table. “The new government, as soon as it assumes office, should construct check-dams across the Kollidam near Lalgudi and Nochiam village near Manachanallur.” Speaking about issues related to Minimum Support Price, P Ayyakannu, president of Association for Interlinking National-South Indian Rivers, said, “We do not want any loan waiver or subsidy.
As promised by the Centre, we want the State government to take steps and ensure that farmers get a profitable price for produce. The government should also take steps to help us get the monthly quota of water from the Karnataka government.” Kannan, a farmer from Nachalur block, said action should be taken to provide three-phase power connection to farmers who have applied under Tatkal format. Farmers should also be given 24-hour free three-phase power supply as the current plan on electricity sharing is not of much help to them.
N Veerasekaran of Bharathiya Kishan Sangh said, “We want the government to construct a minimum of 20 permanent direct procurement centres with a sheltered drying and measuring area and storage facility. A major portion of the paddy is getting spoilt while being left in the open.” With regard to the loan waiver, Kavundampatti Subramaniam, a farmer leader from Tiruchy, said only 20 per cent of the farmers benefitted from the recent loan waiver announcement of the State government. He also wanted the new government to provide pension to farmers.
The main demand of farmers from rural areas such as Manapparai, Uppliyapuram and Thuraiyur is a prominent irrigation source. Though schemes like the Sarabanga lift irrigation project extension, Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar linking project and check-dams to store water from Puliyancholai river have been announced, they wanted the new government to complete all the projects at the earliest.
Want projects to be completed fast
Farmers want the Sarabanga lift irrigation project extension, Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar linking project and check-dam construction to be completed at the earliest