Extending support to farmers protesting against the acquisition of farmland for the proposed Phase-III project of SIPCOT near Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday said that the government should carry out such projects on wastelands instead of cultivable lands.
Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of the protest staged by his party, Mr. Ramadoss said the PMK would strongly oppose the acquisition of cultivable lands for industrial purposes in the State. “We always extend our support against acquisition of farmland for industrial purposes. For instance, the Chennai–Salem Expressway project was put on hold by the State government after the PMK strongly opposed acquisition of agricultural lands for it,” he said.
He said that though Tiruvannamalai, one of the most backward districts in the State, needed such industries for growth, economic activity and employment, development should not come at the cost of agriculture. As per the United Nation’s estimates, he said Tamil Nadu would face food crisis in the next decade. In such a situation, the State government should encourage farming among rural youth instead of acquiring cultivable lands in the name of industrial development.
“In the past 45 years, Tamil Nadu has lost 12% of its agricultural lands. Around 42 lakh acres of farmland have been lost during the same period in the State. The need of the hour is to protect agricultural lands and the environment for future generations,” he added. The PMK president further demanded immediate withdrawal of all cases registered against 20 farmers, who had been allegedly arrested for protesting against land acquisition, and wanted the State government to revoke the Goondas Act invoked against social activist A. Arul, who was among the leaders of the protest against the project in Cheyyar.
“Asked about the returning of Bills by Governor R.N. Ravi, he said that he wondered why they had been kept pending by the Governor for the past three years before the Supreme Court intervened. As the Assembly has re-adopted all 10 Bills unanimously, the Governor should grant his assent without further delay. He also urged the DMK government to conduct a caste census to identify the most backward communities in the State and plan welfare schemes accordingly.
