Latest news with #P.R.Pandian
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers urge local body to drop plan to set up waste segregation unit near waterbody
The Thamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam has forced the Muthupettai Town Panchayat to roll back its proposal to set up a waste segregation unit near a waterbody under the Solid Waster Management scheme. According to the sangam's general secretary the Muthupettai Town Panchayat had prepared a plan to set up the waste segregation unit on the catchment and storage area of the 200 acre spread Mangala Eri (Mangala Lake) in Mangalur on the outskirts of the town panchayat. Pointing out that as per the State Department of Environment's guidance, garbage dump yard or any unit relating to solid waste management could be established at a distance of 100 metres away from a water body, claimed that the Muthupettai Town Panchayat decided to set up the waste segregation unit by encroaching the lake area. A query raised in this regard with the Chief Minister's Cell received a reply from the Water Resources Department that the site identified for the segregation unit belong to the Department and implementation of solid waste management project on this site would have adverse impact on the groundwater and the dwelling units that exist in the vicinity of the waterbody, he added. Such being the case, the civic body's decision to go ahead with the proposal had irked the local farmers and hence the Sangam members, led by besieged the civic body office on July 22 urging the Town Panchayat authorities to drop the proposal. The demonstrators withdrew their protest after the police and civic body officials assured them that the civic body would request the District Administration to identify a new site for setting up of the waste segregation unit.
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Farmers association seeks revival of issuance of manual patta documents
The Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam has sought the revival of issuance of 'chita' document manually by village administrative officers since farmers, tenant farmers in particular, are unable to avail loans or measure their paddy at direct purchase centres. Addressing the media at Mannargudi on Saturday, July 19, after chairing a meeting of State and District-level office-bearers of the association, its general secretary P. R. Pandian said the VAOs, of late, refused to issue 'chita' documents manually citing an instruction from the Revenue Administration and Disaster Management Department's circular that 'chita' documents should be obtained online only. The instruction directly impacted the tenant farmers as it would not be possible to obtain the 'chita' in their name, particularly those entered into lease agreement with temples and trusts, whereas the 'chita' document was a vital document to avail insurance cover for the crops and measuring of the same after harvest. Hence, the association sought revival of manual issuance of 'chita' by VAOs, he added. The issuance of 'Uzhavar Attai' (identification cards for farmers) had also been suspended. Already, non-issuance of 'Uzhavar Attai' to the tenant farmers had kept them away from availing benefits extended to the farming community through various welfare schemes implemented for its uplift. The State government should initiate steps to make tenant farmers also eligible to avail the welfare assistance by announcing that a certificate from VAO would be suffice to avail the benefits.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers' Association demands explanation from Stalin on two issues
The Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations of Tamil Nadu has demanded an explanation from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. K. Stalin on two important issues having a direct impact on the livelihood of the Delta farmers. Talking to the media at Tiruvarur on July 9, the Committee president, P. R. Pandian has said that recently, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has declared that works relating to setting up of Mekedatu Dam Project office had commenced and the dam would come up once the Central Government accords its sanction. While responding to the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister's claim, the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H. D. Kumaraswamy from Karnataka, has pointed out that it would not be possible to go ahead with the Mekedatu project without the consent of Tamil Nadu. Further, the Union Minister had indicated that permission from the Central Government could be obtained if the ruling Congress party (at Karnataka) gets the approval for the Mekedatu project from their alliance partner, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu. Subsequently, the Karnataka Chief Minister had declared that the works relating to the construction of Mekedatu Dam had commenced, Mr. Pandian pointed out and added that the reticence on the part of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in this issue has raised doubts among the Delta farmers that the State government had silently conceded the Upper Riparian State's demand. Seeking an explanation from on this issue, the Committee president said that the Delta farmers also seek the reason for not publishing the Sultan Ahmed Ismail Committee report on the study of the impact of exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon projects in Delta region. He demanded explanations from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on these two major issues having direct impact on the livelihood of the Delta farmers.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Extricate farmers from debt burden, scrap tariff agreement, SKM (NP) tells Centre
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) has urged the Central and State governments to safeguard farmers from the global trade dynamics, in the context of the tariff issue with the US, and to extricate them from debt burden. During the State-level Mahasabha organised at Perur here on Saturday in observance of Martyrs' Day by Narayanasamy Naidu Farmers' Association, speakers from across the country cautioned that India's acceptance of the tariff rates on agricultural products specified by the US will drive farmers to end their lives in large numbers. Import of agricultural products at a higher cost will be disastrous for the country's farmers, they feared, seeking outright rejection of the tariff conditions by the Centre. Refusal to ensure Minimum Support Price has already suppressed the struggling farmers. Citing the instance of sugarcane, a farmer leader said though the cost of production is ₹4,300 per tonne, the governments were not prepared to accept the recommendation of the MS Swaminathan Committee and arrive at MSP. The debt burden of farmers due to inimical policies is driving the suicide rate, he said. The Central Government, instead of mitigating the crisis faced by farmers had waived ₹24 lakh crore debt due from corporates, the speakers lamented. Likewise, the participants assailed the DMK government's law on acquisition of farmland for industrial purposes, saying the move would turn farmers into refugees in their own land. Referring to the sacrifice of 13 farmers who had laid their lives to secure electricity for agriculture, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu and State Coordinator of the SKM (NP) P.R. Pandian expressed grave concern over the purported move by the State government to withdraw the free power at the insistence of the Union government. National convenor of SKM (NP) Jagjit Singh Dallewal took part and spoke as special guest. Over 13 leading leaders from various States including Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan took part in the Mahasabha. They warned that the difficulties faced by farmers were bound to reflect on the 2026 State Assembly election. eom/rkm/
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmers' associations seek update on Noyyal river restoration project
Farmers' associations have sought removal of encroachments along the Noyyal river embankments and prevention of sewage water entry, and have emphasised on implementation of the project for its restoration. They seek to know the outcome of the ₹990 crore project proposed by the Coimbatore and Tiruppur Corporations for restoration of Noyyal river under the 'Nadanthai Vaazhi Cauvery'. The project entails 40% contribution by the State government and 60% from National River Restoration Fund, managed by the Ministry of Jal Sakthi. The project is supposed to be implemented under the Ministry's National Mission for Clean Ganga. Noyyal, a tributary of Cauvery river, was brought under the river restoration project along with Adyar, Cooum, Vaigai and Vennar rivers in Tamil Nadu. The works proposed include collection, transportation and treatment of municipal sewage, river front development, low-cost sanitation, electric crematoria, and improved wood-based crematoria. After taking stock of the extent of pollution in the Noyyal flowing through Coimbatore city on Friday, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers' Associations of Tamil Nadu and coordinator of the Samyuktha Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) P.R. Pandian said the once majestic river originating in the hills has now been reduced to a sewage channel. Industrial effluent and sewage have caused the risk of spread of infectious diseases. Safeguarding of the river was vital for the upkeep of the health of the residents in the city. There was also the risk of groundwater depletion due to the neglect of the river, Mr. Pandian said, urging the State government to rope in industrialists to develop a masterplan for protecting the river. In the recent meeting of the grievances redress session for farmers, the district unit of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam made a representation to the district administration seeking update on the massive project proposed to be undertaken by the Central and State governments for restoration of the river. Just as the Noyyal river in the South of Coimbatore, the Kaushika river in North Coimbatore must also be given importance for restoration in the interests of the several thousands of farmers with small holdings, district unit president of Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam N. Dhandapani and secretary G. Ranganathan emphasised.
