Thiruvarur district police heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday afternoon as a group of farmers, who had surrounded the collectorate here in the morning, dispersed after talks with Collector P. Gayathri Krishnan.
A group of farmers led by PR Pandian, coordinator of Thamizhaga Annaithu Vivasayagal Sanganalin Orunginaipu Kuzhu (Tavasok) entered the Collectorate premises to meet the Collector and submit a memorandum, which was to be forwarded to the Chief Minister, which included crop insurance for the present There was a demand for cover. ‘Kuruvai’ crop.
On learning that the Collector was under observation, the distressed farmers staged a ‘dharna’ in the Collectorate premises before being called the state government’s ‘silence’ on crop insurance for the present ‘Kuruvai’. Disappointment of Tiruvarur District Police.
Senior police officers reached the collectorate to convince the farmers, but their efforts failed.
Concluding his inspection tour, Collector Tavasok reached to discuss with the coordinator and farmers. He assured that the demands of the farmers would be taken into the notice of the Chief Minister and a decision would be taken on the issue soon.
Accepting the assurance, the agitating farmers withdrew their dharna and dispersed, police said.
In the memorandum, the farmers called upon the state government to implement the crop insurance scheme for this ‘Kuruvai’ season as farmers had suffered huge losses due to lack of crop insurance cover for paddy during the last ‘Kuruvai’ season.
With just a few days left for the last date for payment of crop insurance premium for the crop of ‘Kuruvai’ season, the memorandum urged the state government to immediately announce the scheme and extend the last date for premium payment by one more month.
Expressing regret over the failure of insurance companies to announce compensation for the losses incurred during the last ‘Samba’ season, the farmers’ body has since paid Rs 2,500 per quintal for paddy procured from farmers from September 1 onwards by the DMK. sought to. The government had given an election assurance in this regard. It had also demanded Rs 4,500 per quintal for sugarcane.