The Hindu : Centre neglecting Pondy: farmers forum

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 21, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

Centre neglecting Pondy: farmers forum

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry Nov. 20. The Pondicherry Farmers' Union has charged the Centre with neglecting Pondicherry in sanctioning funds for drought relief programmes.

This could be confirmed by exclusion of Pondicherry from the list of States for which drought relief funds had been sanctioned recently by the Centre, according to T.Geethanathan the general Secretary of the Union.

Briefing presspersons on the resolutions passed at the union's general body meeting held here on Tuesday, Mr. Geethanathan said this was also owing to the Pondicherry Government's delay in sending memorandum to the Centre on the drought situation

The grim situation experienced now by farmers in the Union Territory to the Centre for assistance would not brook anti-farmers attitude of the Central government, he asserted.

The union wanted to know what action the constituents of NDA at Pondicherry namely the DMK, PMK, MDMK would take in this reagard. The union has decided to organise a demonstration in front of the office of the Electricity Department in Pillayarkupam village in Villianoor commune limits on November 25 to highlight the risk posed to the people by the sagging condition of the overhead power lines in the village.The department should rectify the situation and reposition the wire properly.

A committee comprising farmers' representatives, officials of the irrigation wing in the PWD and hydrologists should be formed to bring out suggestions to the Centre on linking of south based rivers. Already a drive was launched by the union to mobilise support of the people through their individual pleas to the authorities.

The privately run sugar mill at Ariyur should announce the date of commencement of the crushing of the sugarcane.

The farmers had raised the crop which had not been cut as the date of crushing had not been announced.

Though the farmers were urging the management of the sugar mill to announce Rs. 1000 as price for a tonne of cane, an immediate price of Rs. 750 should be available to the ryots.

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