Farmers attending a grievances meeting on Friday at the Vellore Collectorate, said that issues were not addressed despite the district being trifurcated more than two months ago.
They said that the delay in disbursal of welfare funds and carrying out water management works are a problem among the farmers who depended solely on agriculture. Farming community are left in the dark due to red-tapism and lack of personnel at the government offices, they said.
They have sought to know from the district administration, the status of the ban on illegal sand mining on Palar river basin and also sought clarification on construction of a check dam in Vettuvanam where the rivers Palar and Agaram conglomerate.
If this check dam is constructed excess water could be harvested and diverted to Mordhana dam to catre to the needs of villagers there, farmers association members said.
Another farmer pointed out that removal of encroachments in Sadhuperi was put on hold. Earlier, it was said ‘Model Code of Conduct’, now what prevents them from executing it? They asked.
Without removal of encroachments on surplus channel and inlet channels, the works carried out under ‘kudimaramathu’ and ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ would be futile exercise, a farmer from Anaikattu said.
When there is no water in other lakes, Pernambut Periya Eri is full of sewage which proves the apathy of the officials in the district, he said.
Some said the farmers were not paid their dues for the damages caused to coconut trees. A farmer suggested that if they are credited with the amount in bank accounts for purchasing drip irrigation equipments, it would benefit them.
The meeting was presided by Joint Director (Agriculture) Shankar. Joint Registrar, cooperatives, Rajkumar, joint registrar, Cooperatives, Vellore, S. Thiruguna Iyyapadurai also participated.
