Farmers attached to the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association staged a demonstration near the Revenue Divisional Office in Kumbakonam on May 22 in support of their demands.

Their main demand was related to the minimum-support-price for paddy and sugarcane. Removal of encroachment on irrigation channels in Kumbakonam region, prevention of sewage release by the Swamimalai civic body into the ‘A’ and other branch irrigation channels, reclaiming the tanks of Sri Swaminathaswamy temple, Swamimalai from encroachments, construction of Ramanallur high-level bridge across the Kollidam, CBI inquiry into the gold jewellery loan scheme at a nationalised bank at Kabisthalam, and construction of barrage with sluice gates across the Kollidam at Veeramangui-Elakkuruchi area as per the directions of the Madras High Court, Madurai Bench, were among their other demands.

Meanwhile, members of the All India Kisan Sangh staged a demonstration near the Kumbakonam RDO office on May 22, demanding a rollback of the fertilizer price hike. They had raised slogans demanding uninterrupted power for irrigation, uninterrupted supply of water for irrigation, speeding up of desilting work and others.