“Nammazhvar and Nel Jayaraman strived hard to promote and propagate organic farming all through their lives and introduction of SRI cultivation is just against their noble works. So the government should reconsider its move,” he said.

Stating that kudimaramathu works revived the groundwater level in the region, Pandian said, for the past two years, there was no such programme in the state and he urged the government to immediately resume the traditional practice.

Meanwhile, Pandian said that Nammazhvar promoted organic farming and Nel Jayaraman revived the traditional paddy varieties. It is time the government intensified cultivation of traditional paddy varieties and farmers also should come forward to cultivate traditional paddy, he said. Pandian also urged the government to initiate steps to construct a memorial for Nammazhvar at his birth place Thanjavur.

Earlier the farmers paid floral tribute to the portraits of Nammazhvar and Nel Jayaraman.