Coimbatore: Over 200 farmers boycotted the District Farmers grievance meet that was held today, through video conferencing. The meeting was chaired by the District Collector K Rajamani.
Coimbatore: Over 200 farmers boycotted the District Farmers grievance meet that was held today, through video conferencing. The meeting was chaired by the District Collector K Rajamani.
Due to the prevailing pandemic situation, the monthly farmers grievance meets are being held through video conferencing. Under usual circumstances, the meet would be held at the District Collectorate office in the presence of the Collector and other agricultural officers in which farmers across the district would take part and register their demands and grievances.
Though neccessary arrangements were made at the respective Regional Agricultural Welfare Centers including SS Kulam, Perur, Sulur, Thondamuthur, Karamadai, Suttalpet, Anaimalai, to enable farmers attend the meet, only few farmers took part in the meet. As more than 200 farmers on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Union boycotted the meeting, citing difficulty in video conferencing method and instead sought to resume the meet in person.
The Association's District Chairman S. Palanisamy said "Coimbatore district farmers' grievance meeting is held through video conferencing due to the spread of coronavirus. Not all farmers are comfortable with this method.A majority of the farmers are not familiar with video conferencing and hence due to technical glitches they are unable tounderstand what the authorities are instructing nor are they able to register their grievance in a detailed way.
He demanded that the farmers' grievance meeting should hence be held as a direct meeting with the direct participation of farmers and officials. He added that he decided to boycott the meeting to express their distress over these online sessions.
The State General Secretary of the Farmers' Association (Non-Caste, Non-Religious, Non-Political) Kandasamy who attended the meeting said Gail Company has been delaying in settling the compensation for damages to teak, coconut, mango, drumstick and banana and maize in farmlands. He said, so far, they have not paid compensation, but have laid steel pipes in the fields. As a result, the farmers are unable to cultivate in their fields, irrigate other crops and cultivate the land for the next crop.
He demanded that the Gail company should take steps to immediately pay the appropriate compensation to the farmers, remove the iron pipes that are obstructing agricultural works in the fields.
Due to the prevailing pandemic situation, the monthly farmers grievance meets are being held through video conferencing. Under usual circumstances, the meet would be held at the District Collectorate office in the presence of the Collector and other agricultural officers in which farmers across the district would take part and register their demands and grievances.
Though neccessary arrangements were made at the respective Regional Agricultural Welfare Centers including SS Kulam, Perur, Sulur, Thondamuthur, Karamadai, Suttalpet, Anaimalai, to enable farmers attend the meet, only few farmers took part in the meet. As more than 200 farmers on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Union boycotted the meeting, citing difficulty in video conferencing method and instead sought to resume the meet in person.
The Association's District Chairman S. Palanisamy said "Coimbatore district farmers' grievance meeting is held through video conferencing due to the spread of coronavirus. Not all farmers are comfortable with this method.A majority of the farmers are not familiar with video conferencing and hence due to technical glitches they are unable tounderstand what the authorities are instructing nor are they able to register their grievance in a detailed way.
He demanded that the farmers' grievance meeting should hence be held as a direct meeting with the direct participation of farmers and officials. He added that he decided to boycott the meeting to express their distress over these online sessions.
The State General Secretary of the Farmers' Association (Non-Caste, Non-Religious, Non-Political) Kandasamy who attended the meeting said Gail Company has been delaying in settling the compensation for damages to teak, coconut, mango, drumstick and banana and maize in farmlands. He said, so far, they have not paid compensation, but have laid steel pipes in the fields. As a result, the farmers are unable to cultivate in their fields, irrigate other crops and cultivate the land for the next crop.
He demanded that the Gail company should take steps to immediately pay the appropriate compensation to the farmers, remove the iron pipes that are obstructing agricultural works in the fields.