TIRUCHY: Claiming that the paddy procured from the Delta districts is being sent to other state rice mills for hulling, the rice mill owners from the region staged a protest in Thanjavur on Tuesday demanding to allot them paddy which would ensure their livelihood.
The rice mill owners, agents and the workers from Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai who assembled in front of the Thanjavur district collectorate led by the Thanjavur District Hulling Agents’ Association president A Pakkirisamy, said, since the paddy procured from delta region is being sent to other districts and states for hulling, several thousands of workers depending on the rice mills have lost their livelihood.
The members demanded that the paddy procured for the samba and thalady seasons should be given to the local rice mills immediately. They raised slogans in support of their demands.
Later, while speaking to reporters, the protest coordinator Vijayakumar said, there are as many as 103 rice mills functioning in the delta districts and at least 10 lorries transport paddy to each mill on a day and thus there are around 2,000 workers who are dependent on these rice mills.