TIRUCHY: As water requirement is still needed for the standing samba crops, especially in the tail-end regions, the State government must release water from Mettur for a few more days, appealed Sami Natarajan, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasyigal Sangam affiliated to CPM on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Thanjavur, Sami Natarajan said the kuruvai harvest commenced late in the Delta region owing to various factors, and so the cultivation of samba and thalady had started late, and presently, the crops are at the milking stage. So the water is essential at this time.
Since the Mettur level stands at 90 feet currently, the government should release additional quantum of water to save the standing samba crops. Similarly, the tail-end regions are yet to receive water, and so release of water is very essentialSami Natarajan, general secretary, TN Vivasyigal Sangam
Meanwhile, Natarajan said that the BJP-led NDA government has been ruling for the third term and the promise given in 2014 is yet to be fulfilled.
He recalled that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to provide MSP for paddy as per the recommendations of MS Swaminathan. But it is not fulfilled.
“At the same time, the Union Government had waived a whopping Rs 14 lakh crore for the corporate firms but failed to write off the loans availed by the farmers. The union government should also withdraw the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, which refuses free power supply to the farmers,” Natarajan said.
Meanwhile, the association leader said that the revised crop insurance pattern adopted currently benefits only the private insurance firms and no farmer is benefited by the scheme.
He also appealed to the union government to stop the exploration of natural gas projects in the Delta region.
“Stressing the demands of the farmers, the association has decided to hold protests in four regions across the State on February 4. Accordingly, the protests would be held in Villupuram, Erode, Madurai and Thanjavur,” Natarajan added.