Farmers in Erode’s Talavadi want new rules on electric fences to be withdrawn

Farmers in Erode’s Talavadi protest rules mandating permission for power fences near forest areas. They claim rules anti-democratic and add to woes. Want govt to withdraw notification.

Stating that the Tamil Nadu Power Fences (Registration and Regulation) Rules 2023 would affect farmers directly, members of the Talavadi Farmers’ Association in Erode district have urged the State government to withdraw the notification. They staged a demonstration at the Talavadi bus stand on Saturday, to garner support for their demand. 

The rules were brought in this July, to protect wildlife from getting electrocuted by high-voltage electric fences and also to prevent damage to agricultural produce by wildlife in forests adjoining farms. 

Led by the association’s president S. Kannaiyan, the farmers said the rules mandate that they obtain permission to erect power fences, including solar ones, for areas located within five km from notified reserve forest areas. Also, if the farmer has already installed a power fence, he/she should register it with the Forest Department and obtain a certificate from the District Forest Officer.

Farmers said most of their farmlands are located in Talavadi Hills, under the forest ranges of Hasanur, Talavadi, Jerahalli and Talamalai. “No untoward incidents have been reported due to the existing fences in the hill area. The rules were notified without seeking an opinion from farmers or farmers’ associations, which is anti-democratic,” they claimed. 

The farmers said they were already reeling under the effects of poor rainfall, a drop in groundwater levels, attacks of pesticides on crops, and a drop in productivity. They said they had lost a major portion of their income due these, and other factors, and the rules on electric fences were adding to their woes. Solar-powered fences were installed instead of digging trenches, to prevent wild animals from leaving the forest and entering their farmlands. These rules would only cause hardship to farmers, they said and wanted the government to withdraw the notification. 

The farmers said they would not register with the Forest Department with regard to existing fences or seek permission to erect new fences.