Digital crop survey involving TN agriculture students halted after controversy
COIMBATORE: A week after launching the digital crop survey, involving agriculture college students and faculty, the state government has temporarily stopped it on Saturday following strong opposition from political parties, including AIADMK, and parents.
As per the directions of agriculture department, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), had roped in around 21,000 students from 28 affiliated colleges and 18 constituent colleges across the state to carry out the digital crop survey and to feed data relating to farmland across the state using the mobile-based application developed by Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency under Union government’s Agristack project.
The state agriculture department had handed over the work to TNAU after the staff of the revenue and agriculture departments refused to carry out the work. The department had asked the university to complete the work quickly so that it could submit the report to the central government.
The university, on the other hand, postponed the scheduled practical examination and study tours to ensure the work is carried out smoothly.
Meanwhile, the survey that started last Friday was not without incidents, as a girl student suffered a snake-bite in Tiruvannamalai district, and a gang associated with a stone quarry assaulted the students and agriculture officers in Tiruvallur district.
An assistant professor from Namakkal, who preferred anonymity, told TNIE the TNAU roped in the students for the survey without any prior information.
“Moreover, the students were forced to carry out this entirely new survey using their own mobile phones, without any safety measures. The survey was not conducted properly in many places. For instance, if a 10-acre land has sub-divisions, the students surveyed only one or two sub-divisions and uploaded details such as what type of crops are cultivated, water sources, etc, and the details of the remaining sub-divisions of land were not uploaded,” he pointed out.
Confirming that the survey has been halted temporarily from Saturday, another TNAU professor said the university had informed them regarding this on Friday evening, and it has declared a three-day leave for students from November 18 to 20.
“Earlier, the officers had said the survey work would be held for two weeks and now, it was stopped mid-way,” he said.
He said that the survey aims to get a clear picture of the crop being sown in the farmland in the country during different agricultural seasons.
When contacted, a top TNAU official said 80% of the work has been completed, and it was a temporary halt.
“Out of the 400 crore sub-divisions, survey works were completed in 300 crore subdivisions, the work on the remaining sub divisions would begin soon,” he said.
When asked, he said the students were engaged in the work to help them get field experience.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Secretary Selvi Apoorva said the survey work was halted temporarily owing to the rainy season.