Farmers oppose using agricultural land for Kumbakonam Kalaignar University

TIRUCHY: Farmers from Thanjavur are up in arms against the acquisition of lush green agricultural land for the newly announced Kalaignar Karunanidhi University and have sought that the government choose dry lands for the purpose.

Representatives of the farmers' association submitted a petition to this effect to the district Collector on Monday.

A section of farmers from Kallapuliyur in Kumbakonam led by S Balamurugan who came to Collectorate to submit a petition said that there was around 60 acres of land at the village which has been used for cultivation for over 100 years by around 150 tenant farmers. More than 200 families depend on their livelihood by cultivating the land.

However, last week, the district Collector and other officials visited the spot and conducted a survey, and later, the farmers learnt that the piece of land was identified for establishing the Kalaignar Karunanidhi University. “While the Delta Region was declared as a Protected Agricultural Zone, the move to convert the agricultural land for construction purposes is a violation of the regulation, and so the government should withdraw the decision,” Balamurugan said.

He added that the farmers welcome the Kalaignar Karunanidhi University in Kumbakonam, but the government should identify dry lands instead of agricultural land.