VELLORE: Several pressing regional issues, including the pollution of the Palar river by leather factories and the closure of numerous sugar mills, took centre stage at the AIADMK’s Vellore Zone consultative meeting held in Vellore on Wednesday. The meeting focused on identifying key points to be included in the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections in 2026.
Senior party leaders, including KC Veeramani, Natham R Vishwanathan, C Ponnaiyan, and RB Udhayakumar, attended the meeting. Members from farmers’ associations, merchants’ unions, bus and lorry drivers’ unions, representatives of educational institutions, and differently abled communities from four north Tamil Nadu districts—Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, and Tirupattur—participated in the discussions.
Farmers demanded the revival of the Palar river and called for the closure of nearby leather and other factories. “More check dams also need to be built across the Palar,” they said. Arakkonam MLA S. Ravi urged the reintroduction of the Palar-Thenpennai scheme, initially proposed by former CM J Jayalalithaa in 2013–14, asserting that it remains largely on paper. The project, aimed at linking rivers and improving water management, was intended to tackle water scarcity and groundwater depletion by connecting the Thenpennai and Palar rivers.
Sadanandan, a farmer from Vellore, raised concerns over the alleged acquisition of vast tracts of farmland by the ruling government, specifically citing the ongoing crisis at Mahimandalam, where a SIPCOT industrial unit is proposed. Farmers also called for the reopening of closed sugar mills in the region, which they said has adversely affected sugarcane cultivators.
Another grievance raised against the state government was its perceived favouritism towards farmers in delta districts over those in non-delta regions. Saravanan, a farmer from Ranipet, highlighted the persistent contamination of groundwater with chromium waste years after the closure of Tamil Nadu Chromate and Chemicals Limited (TNCCL), noting that the district has a high number of cancer cases.
Vadivel Subrahmaniam, a farmer from Tiruvannamalai, referred to the Malappambadi sand smuggling case and related arrests, alleging that farmers were being targeted under the current administration.
Merchants’ associations also presented their demands, suggesting the removal of the 5% GST on packaged rice and the resumption of input tax credits. A representative from the Tiruvannamalai Merchants Association urged the setting up of a scent factory in the district.