ARIYALUR: District farmers have demanded that work at the government cement plant's new mine begin only after it has disbursed adequate compensation for land it had acquired previously. A petition in this regard was submitted to the Collectorate on May 29.
Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation Limited, functioning in Kayarlabath in the district, had in 1996 acquired about 300 acres of land from farmers of Pudupalayam village and surrounding areas to carry out mining work. The farmers were reportedly paid a compensation of Rs 250-300 for each cent of land. In protest, they filed a case in the Ariyalur district court demanding a better price.
During the hearings held in 2019, 2021 and 2023, the court ruled in favour of the farmers and ordered the plant to pay a compensation ranging from Rs 1,100-1,500 for each cent along with interest from the year of acquisition till now. Farmers, however, have alleged that the plant is yet to provide any compensation.
With the plant announcing plans to open a new mine in Pudupalayam, regarding which a public hearing will be held on June 7 and 8, farmers on May 29 petitioned the Collectorate demanding that the new mine be allowed to function only after the plant compensates them adequately.
Speaking to TNIE, S Punniyamoorthy, a farmer from Pudupalayam said, "The government forcibly acquired land from us at a low price. I gave away 8 acres of land to them. Later I went to Kerala and other places in search of agricultural work. Now I am unable to work due to old age.
Many people including me struggle to send our children to school and get our sons married." P Pakkirisamy, who gave three acres of his land to the plant, said, "Acquiring our land without compensation for more than 25 years is injustice.
How can they start mining without even paying compensation? Even Transport Minister SS Sivasankar, when he was in the opposition, took part in protests against the plant. Now, there is no proper response when we approach him.
With our livelihood now affected, the plant should immediately pay us proper compensation along with interest before they start mining there." When contacted by TNIE, District Collector J Anne Mary Swarna said, "I will look into the issue."