Farmers urged the authorities to release water into Karumeniyar river, under the Thambirabarani-Karumeniyar-Nambiyar river linking project, during the farmers’ grievance redress meeting held at Thoothukudi Collectorate on Thursday.

At the meeting, a farmer from Mudukalankulam near Kayathar suddenly rose to speak stating that he could not find his land nor the pathway leading to it.

Explaining further, he alleged that a private company in the area had encroached upon farmers’ lands, preventing them from accessing their agricultural fields. He urged the authorities to intervene and restore both his land and the pathway leading to the agricultural land.

Other farmers raised various demands, including strengthening the banks of Upparu stream, establishing a permanent direct procurement centre at Athimarapatti and providing drought relief to farmers in Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam and Pudur areas, which have been severely affected by drought last year.

Farmers pointed out that there was a shortage of DAP fertilizers at Pazhankulam Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society and requested for uninterrupted supply.

Other demands, including continuous supply of water from the Srivaikuntam dam to Kadambakulam, a major irrigation tank, the revival of Sathankulam Forest Extension Centre and the release of water to irrigation tanks including Udayapathu, Kadambakulam and some others in the third reach of Manimuthar irrigation system.

Responding to the demands, Thoothukudi District Collector Vishu Mahajan said that a suitable site for establishing a permanent Direct Paddy Procurement Centre at Athiramarapatti would be identified and necessary steps will be taken. He added that declaring an area drought-affected requires assessment based on different parameters including rainfall and crop cultivation extent. Data collection and comparative analysis are underway, and details would be announced soon, he noted.

The Collector assured farmers that steps will be taken to ensure adequate fertilizer supply and to provide water to Kadambakulam.

District Revenue Officer M. Guruchandran, Joint Director of Agriculture Krishnakumar and several other officials were present at the meeting.