Farmers urge authorities to desilt irrigation, supply canals

Collector Nishant Krishna presiding over a grievance redressal meeting of farmers in Madurai on Friday. | Photo credit: G. MOORTHY

Farmers of Madurai district at a farmers’ grievance redressal meeting held at Madurai Collectorate on Friday urged the concerned authorities to take steps to desilt irrigation and supply canals in the area.

In a meeting chaired by Madurai Collector Nishant Krishna, farmers said laborers could be hired under the VB-G RAM G Act scheme for desilting irrigation and supply canals.

A section of farmers from Kovilankulam, which is supplied with electricity through the Vikramangalam substation, complained of a faulty transformer. They said the farmers of the area contributed a total amount of ₹40,000 for the repair. However, according to them, no action was taken.

They alleged that the farmers were forced to pay a certain amount. The transformers were repaired only when the amount was paid, they said. Tangedco authorities, however, clarified that there is no need for anyone to pay any amount to anyone and urged the farmers not to pay anyone for the rectification.

Some of the other issues raised by the farmers in the meeting included the demand to reopen the national cooperative sugar mills at Alanganallur in the district. Farmers also complained that wild boars were damaging crops.

They said the Kerala government has introduced permitted culling of feral pigs through local bodies, thereby protecting the crops. The Tamil Nadu government should also introduce this method, they said.

Published – 23 Oct 2026 23:03 IST