Farmers raising queries during the grievance redress meeting held in Tirunelveli on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A
Steps have been taken to establish 15 permanent paddy direct procurement centres (DPCs) in the district, Collector R. Sukumar has informed.
Addressing the farmers’ grievances redress meeting held here on Friday, he said the DPCs were being opened in places where paddy was being cultivated in large areas and to protect farmers from middlemen and private traders procuring paddy from agriculturists at a price fixed by them. At the DPCs, the paddy procurement procedures have been simplified while the officials manning the centres were being constantly monitored to ensure transparency in paddy procurement.
During the current ‘kar’ season, 10 DPCs would be established for procuring paddy at the price fixed by the government and 15 more permanent DPCs would be created in areas, including Azhagiyapandiapuram, Pallamadai, Thirukkurunkudi, Munneerpallam etc. so that the growers could get the guaranteed selling price instead of being left at the mercy of the middlemen and other buyers, Mr Sukumar informed while responding to queries from farmers Abraham, Sekar and Perumbadaiyar.
The Collector also said the compensation for horticultural crops damaged by gale that lashed the district between June 4 and 8 was being credited in the accounts of the affected farmers.
When the participant agriculturists complained that the officials were hesitant to remove the illegal structures coming up inside the waterbodies, some of the farmers said the officials had turned a blind eye to the construction of houses inside Nanguneri tank.
“We’ve submitted complaints in this connection with the officials. However, they have not removed them,” farmers said
When the officials concerned could not cite any reason for not evicting the encroachment, Mr. Sukumar instructed them to remove the illegal structures immediately.
“Moreover, officials should file complaint with the police and the law-enforcers should register case against the encroachers,” the Collector said.
As farmer Murugan raised the flooding of Tirunelveli Junction and adjoining areas during monsoon due to breach in Tirunelveli Channel every year and wanted the officials to provide permanent solution, it was informed that a proposal for constructing wall along the Channel at a cost of ₹11.60 crore had been submitted to the government.
The officials also informed that thorny bushes in Gangaikondan tank would be removed with the Corporate Social Responsibility fund of the private companies when farmer Ilosius appealed to the Collector to remove acacia that had grown inside the waterbody.
District Revenue Officer M. Suganya, Joint Director of Agriculture Venkatesan and Social Forestry Divisional Officer Ilango participated in the meeting.
Published – July 18, 2025 07:15 pm IST
