For digging borewells in Sirumalai, clearance by Mines Dept. mandatory, farmers told

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

Collector Durgamoorthi receiving petitions from farmers at the grievance redress meeting held at Dindigul Collectorate on Friday. | Photo Credit: KARTHIKEYAN G

A majority of the farmers from Sirumalai were in for a shock when the officials categorically stated that borewells should be dug in the hills only after clearance from Mines Department on Friday.

The monthly farmers’ grievance redress meeting was held at the Dindigul District Collectorate. Collector Durgamoorthi chaired the meeting. Senior officials from Agriculture, Mines, Forest, Revenue and Rural Development, WRD and PWD participated.

The farmers from Sirumalai demanded an explanation from the officials as they were not allowed to dig borewells in their habitations. Intervening, the Collector said that the farmers need not be apprehensive about the action. In the larger public interest, such decisions were being made by the government.

On receipt of the application, the Mines Department officials shall inspect the field for geological feasibility. Once, they were satisfied, the NOC (no objection certificate) would be issued. Hence, she appealed to the farmers to cooperate.

However, the farmers said that in the absence of rainwater and non-availability of waterbodies, the only way for them to create water source was to have borewells. The district administration should reconsider the move and not impose such restrictions as around 9,500 acres in Sirumalai that raised various crops including plantain, lemon, coffee and among others.

The farmers also said that even they were unable to hire JCBs or bulldozers as the officials did not allow them to enter the ghat section. “At a time, when the farmers were in dire straits due to multiple reasons and volatile weather conditions, such non cooperation from the official machinery only added more problems. The El Nino effect and non-friendly eco-system had led to plants withering in many locations. The standing crops required copious water and the officials seemed not to be worried about the loss,” they charged.

However, the Collector, while assuring that there would not be any delay or any harassment, sought the cooperation of the farmers. “We are here to help you,” the officials from the Mines department said.

When a farmer from R. Combai village said that the waterbodies were filled with karuvelam trees, the Collector said that she would get the grievance redressed, but wanted the farmers from the village to give her a promise that the children would be sent to the schools as the turnout was far from satisfactory.

A farmer Maheswaran from Nilakottai said that public coming to Anaipatti to perform special pujas on Ammavasai left their clothes. As a result, the Vaigai was polluted. The river was filled with old clothes and other materials. This should be stopped and the people should be sensitised, he appealed.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal.