While underground cables are used in Kerala, in Tamil Nadu electricity is transmitted by erecting high-tension lines on farmlands and fallow lands for the Power Grid Corporation of India project, which erected HT lines cutting through vital farmlands in 13 districts in Tamil Nadu.
Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu Government has procured as many as 6.25 lakhs acres of cultivable lands for the construction of High-tension lines (electric towers) across 13 districts of Tamil Nadu, including Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupur.
The Centre had formulated a plan for the transmission of electricity and to connect it with the national grid from Chhattisgarh to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
While underground cables are used in Kerala, in Tamil Nadu, electricity is transmitted by erecting high-tension lines on farmlands and fallow lands for the Power Corporation of India project, which erected HT lines cutting through vital farmlands in 13 districts in Tamil Nadu.
These lands are mostly lands where crops including coconut, banana, sugarcane, paddy, and turmeric are being cultivated.
When the project was implemented the farmers were assured of adequate compensation. However, the farmers allege that they have been left high and dry, now.
“Simplicity” News team which has been covering this issue extensively met the representatives of the farmers and farmers' unions who were at the protest site four years ago and recorded the situation on the ground. And we spoke to them again for this article.
According to the farmers, “the compensation and rent for the lands acquired for the construction of high-tension towers have not been paid in full, and the farmers are unable to do farming due to the construction of high-tension towers. The overall value of the land has also come down due to this factor’ the farmers complained.
“While arguing that the livelihood of those who depend solely on the cultivable lands are in doldrums the farmers said that HT lines should not be constructed on the farmlands but could be done by laying underground cables “they argued.
Alleging that the paid compensation has been too little, the farmers said: “that they have received very little compensation due to lack of statutory bodies for fixing adequate compensation”.
“While a relief of Rs.72,000 is given to the coconut trees that are cut down by the Highways Department, but only Rs. 32,000 is paid for the trees that are cut for the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) project, This is 100% less than the High ways department relief” they alleged.
“Even though the “Right of Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013” was enacted, it has not been implemented by the state and central governments in this case” alleged the affected farmers.
When farmers protested against the construction of a high-tension tower during the previous regime, the then Leader of the Opposition, the present Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, had assured that "if we come to power, farmers will be given due compensation and fixed rent will be paid".
“Even after DMK came to power, we have met the CM twice and submitted a petition and TN Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji 12 times, but nothing came out of it.” The farmers alleged.
Demanding that the CM should address their concern at least now, the farmers said “adequate compensation for lands procured, fixing of proper rent and withdrawal of cases registered against farmers should be done on a war footing by the TN Government”.
“A Government order should be passed to fix the rent for the towers installed in cultivable lands. The CM should address all these issues, lest a major protest would be organized on behalf of the affected farmers to achieve our long-held demands” the affected farmers warned.