Coimbatore: Condemning the erection of new High Tension (HT) power lines for power distribution and transmission through cultivable lands, as well as better compensation, affected farmers have been protesting for the 10th consecutive day today, at Sultanpettai and seven other centres in western Tamil Nadu.
Coimbatore: Condemning the erection of new High Tension (HT) power lines for power distribution and transmission through cultivable lands, as well as better compensation, affected farmers have been protesting for the 10th consecutive day today, at Sultanpettai and seven other centres in western Tamil Nadu.
G K Vasan, the President of Tamil Maanila Congress visited the venue in Sultanpettai to lend moral support to the farmers. The indefinite fasting has been on in eight centers in all 13 districts where the project is underway.
In a similar protest at Pongalur, a farmer who embarked on continuous fasting for the past four days fainted. He was one of the 18 farmers who had been fasting for the fourth continuous day. G K Vasan also visited the venue to lend his support to the farmer’s cause. The streets in Pongalur wore a deserted look since most shops remained shut, in support of the farmer’s agitation against setting up of HT lines through cultivable lands.
It may be recalled that the farmers intensified their protests as work is underway in 13 districts of western Tamil Nadu, despite farmers opposing it. The project is being implemented by the Power Grid Corporation of India, in association with TANGEDCO. The farmers lamented that officials had proceeded with the work despite farmers opposing the project, which would fragment cultivable lands.
The project is expected to affect 13 districts including Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Namakkal, Salem, Dindigul, and Dharmapuri which could spell doom for the livelihood measures of small and marginal farmers and the farming community in general. Farmers have continued on a warpath against the project.