Thanjavur farmers up in arms against SIPCOT over acquiring land against promises to protect agri
According to PR Pandian, president of the coordination committee of the All Farmers Association, the DMK assured during the 2021 election campaign that it would develop agriculture in the Cauvery Delta region and establish several agricultural colleges to support farming activities.
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TIRUCHY: Demanding that the State government withdraw the move of transferring the cattle farm into the SIPCOT industrial area, the farmers staged a protest in Thanjavur on Friday.
According to PR Pandian, president of the coordination committee of the All Farmers Association, the DMK assured during the 2021 election campaign that it would develop agriculture in the Cauvery Delta region and establish several agricultural colleges to support farming activities.
However, recently, the State government announced a SIPCOT industrial area at the place where the government cattle farm of the Agriculture and Veterinary University is located at present.
Similarly, the government has been planning to establish the SIPCOT industrial area in Tiruvarur on land belonging to the Korukkai cattle farm.
The government should withdraw the plan and encourage agri-related activities in these select areas; otherwise, a massive protest would be organised across the state, the farmer leader PR Pandian said.
He also charged that the State government has planned to take away 500 acres of land from the Orathanadu Government Veterinary College, and this would affect the environment and the cattle. So the Chief Minister should immediately withdraw the plan.
The farmers have decided to organise a conference at Naduvur to create awareness about the SIPCOT industrial estate encroaching on agricultural lands. They staged a protest in front of the Thanjavur Collectorate and submitted a petition to District Collector B Priyanka Pankajam, pressing for their demands.
