MADURAI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, district collector MS Sangeetha said monthly agriculture grievance meetings will be held in rural parts instead of the collectorate so as to make sure issues are solved at the grassroots. The idea got a lukewarm response from farmers.
On every third Friday of the month, a grievance meet for farmers will be chaired by the district collector at the collectorate. The next meeting, deviating from the norm, will be held in Kottampatti area at 3 pm on Friday. The district administration has planned to conduct the meetings in rural areas for helping farmers who cannot reach the district headquarters, said Sangeetha.
Appreciating the idea, Arun, a farmer from Melur said, "Farmers from our area and Kottampatti block face irrigation woes. Even though we want to come all the way to the headquarters, hardly 5 farmers out of 100 would be able to attend the monthly grievance meeting as the remaining cannot spend the whole day travelling, leaving their field behind. With the meeting in rural areas, all farmers would be able to raise their grievances."
Opposing the idea, M Raman, honorary president of Tamil Nadu Federation of All Farmers Association, said hosting the monthly meetings at block-levels would greatly affect the farmers. "While farmers at the block level would benefit from this move, those from other parts either have to travel to the meeting or or wait for it to be hosted in their block, which could take several months. Collector should attend block level meetings instead of shifting the monthly meeting. Farmers will stage a protest at the headquarters against the new idea."
'Submit petitions to block level officers'
Ramanathapuram district collector Vishnu Chandran has requested farmers, who cannot travel to district headquarters, to submit petitions with the block level agriculture officers, who will be conducting grievance meetings during the second Friday of each month. "All the petitions will be sent to the district collector before the monthly farmers grievance meeting," he added.