Farmers in Theni district have urged the authorities to desilt Vaigai dam to improve storage and ensure adequate water supply for agriculture.

At the farmers grievance redress meeting presided over by Collector R. Vaithinathan at the Collectorate, they said they were affected by shortage of water due to lack of rainfall. They sought desilting of irrigation tanks and waterbodies in the region to improve storage capacity.

A section of farmers living in forest areas submitted a petition to the Collector urging the State to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against an order to evict people from the forest region. They said the people were living there for generations.

Farmers complained about the indiscriminate quarrying operations and sought appropriate action against the quarries, particularly those operating near agricultural lands in Adaikkampatti. They said dust and movement of heavy vehicles damaged roads and affected agriculture.

They urged the State government to waive cooperative crop loans. They said the Central schemes implemented through the Agricultural Engineering Department should be widely publicised for the benefit of the farmers. They also sought allocation of a site for an Agricultural Extension Centre in Periyakulam., which was a long-pending demand.

The farmers urged the authorities to provide quality seeds and fertilizers at affordable prices and also supply organic fertilizers. Farmers also urged the authorities to fix fair prices for vegetables and fruits, similar to paddy.

Some of the other demands of the farmers included the need to conduct an archaeological survey in Agamalai. They said there were many inscriptions, temples, and ancient pathways in the region.

The farmers also demanded the construction of a proper Sakkulathumettu road connecting Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Collector instructed the officials to respond to the petitions submitted by the farmers and provide the necessary assistance.