Mekedatu, crop relief dominate farmers’ meet

As a mark of protest for the delay in disbursing compensation for the lost crop, a group of farmers attended the meeting wearing gunny bags, besides a noose around their neck. As no concrete announcement was made, they staged a walk out. 

Soon after the meeting commenced, a group of farmers, led by R Sukumaran, the state vice-president of the Federation of the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam, wearing gunny bags, gheraoed Collector A Annadurai and demanded immediate disbursal of compensation to families of all farmers who had died as they could not bear the sight of withered samba crop. They also demanded waiver of crop loans. 

Subsequently, another set of farmers, led by V Jeevakumar of Rayamundanpatti, who came with a noose around their neck, staged a walkout demanding early disbursal of insurance amount to farmers. They also raised the issue of the Karnataka government allocating funds for building a new dam across the Cauvery in Megadatu, which would affect the interests of delta farmers. 

Peramalakudi Ramanathan, a cane farmer, raised the issue of arrears to be paid by sugar mills to farmers. He pointed out that the Arignar Anna Sugar Mill (AASM) administration was yet to give the arrears to farmers, who had supplied cane from January 8. He emphasised that it was mandatory for the mill to pay the money within 14 days. 

Tholagiripatti Govindaraj also raised the issue of non-payment of arrears for sugarcane. He said the AASM has been paying only the Fixed Remunerative Price (FRP) of Rs 2,300 fixed by the union government and not paying the state administrative price (SAP) of Rs 2,750. 

The SAP was not paid even last year, he added. When the collector sought a clarification on the issue, the mill officials said that the mill had got an order for 50,000 bags of sugar and the payment for those who supplied sugarcane till January 15 would be paid in a day or two. 

Later, responding to a question about the extent of crop loss due to drought in the district, Annadurai said it had been that crops have been lost in more than 33% in 90,500 hectares in the district and added that 94,000 farmers would be eligible to receive drought relief.