Missing river-linking, MSP hike in agri budget irk ryots

TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed near Chathiram bus stand here on Wednesday after the farmers staged a protest condemning the agriculture budget that has no mention about the river linking projects and MSP as per the DMK’s election manifesto.

Farmers from Desiya Thennindiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam led by the state president P Ayyakannu converged on the Karur bypass Road and with empty pots staged a protest condemning the agri budget that has no allocation for inter-linking of rivers and nor any announcement about the project.

“Despite Supreme Court order, the Karnataka government fails to release the monthly allotment of water to Mettur. In order to overcome the water shortage in the state, a project of linking Godavari, Cauvery, Vaigai, Gundaru and Ayyaru rivers is an essential one and we have been fighting for this for several years,” said Ayyakannu while leading the protest.

He also pointed out that the DMK promised MSP of Rs 2,500 per quintal of paddy and Rs 4,000 per tonne of sugarcane during the election campaign. “But they have tabled the third agri budget after forming the government, but they have not yet fulfilled the promise. A mere Rs 100 per quintal of fine variety paddy and Rs 75 for common variety is just an act of cheating the farmers,” Ayyakannu stressed and demanded to reconsider the announcement.

Subsequently, they raised slogans and blocked vehicle movement on the busy Chathiram bus stand area.

They broke the empty earthen pots in protest. However, police who were on duty removed them from the spot and the traffic was hit for a while.