Ryots revive anti-HT line stir ahead of polls

Farmers hoisted black flags in more than 300 houses located at Perundurai, Pudhupalayam, Chithodu, Thayirpalayam, Jambai, Kurichi, Chinnapuliyur and other areas, which were likely to be affected due to the erection of transmission towers.

The farmers have been protesting over the last two years against erecting high-tension transmission towers through agricultural lands. The irate farmers claimed that these power line traverse through thousands of acres of fertile farmlands in several western districts. They also fear that their lands will lose the market value if the power lines crisscross through their lands.

The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited and state government’s Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited has proposed to erect transmission towers on agriculture lands in as many as 13 districts. Works are now underway in several districts for erecting transmission towers in farmlands.

Opposing the project, the farmers sought the state and central governments to carry out the project by laying underground cables similar to Kerala and abroad or take up an alternative pathway without disturbing the farmlands. The proposed power line is likely to cut through farmlands in districts such as Karur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Thiruvannamalai, Dindigul and Tirupur.

In Namakkal, the farmers went on an indefinite hunger strike, while a group of around 60 farmers staged a demonstration on Friday at Sulthanpet in Pollachi near Coimbatore demanding to scrap the project.