Farmers seek opening of direct procurement centre at Narasinganallur

Farmers petition for a direct paddy procurement centre in Narasinganallur to ensure fair access for all communities.

Seeking the opening of a paddy direct procurement centre at Narasinganallur on the city outskirts, a group of farmers having their fields around the village submitted a petition to Collector R. Sukumar during the weekly grievances redress meeting held at the Collectorate on Monday.

The farmers said agriculturists of Narasinganallur, Aththimedu and Karunkaadu were elated when the Collector ordered the opening of a paddy direct procurement centre at Narasinganallur, which was accessible to farmers from all communities. It was then decided to open the centre either in the community hall or at an agriculture input sales depot.

However, a group of agriculturists from an intermediate caste, with the backing of a few officials, were trying to shift it to a multi-purpose centre under construction at Narasinganallur Melur, which was not accessible to farmers from other communities including the Scheduled Caste.

“Since the upcoming facility is in the midst of a people belonging to a particular dominant community living in large numbers, it will be difficult for farmers from other castes to go to the area with their paddy and sell it in the centre. Hence, the Collector should order the opening of the centre either in the community hall or the sales depot at Narasinganallur,” said M. Chelladurai, a farmer from Karunkaadu.

Demanding the laying of permanent road between Mela Ilanthaikulam and Kattaarankulam in the district, which was part of Rani Mangammal Road, a group of villagers submitted a petition to the Collector. The villagers said Rani Mangammal Road between Ilanthaikulam and Kattaarankulam remained neglected for the past several years. Hence, villagers, who had to come to Tirunelveli, had to travel 15 km more to reach the district headquarters as they took a better circuitous route.

If the road was laid properly, the villagers could easily reach Tirunelveli via Madaththupatti, Karuppanooththu, Vellappanaeri, Achchampatti, Moovirunthaali, Sundankurichi, Mela Ilanthaikulam, Kattaarankulam, Pillaiyaarkulam, Pallamadai and Naanjaankulam, and it would also expedite the development of the villages. Hence, the Collector should order the laying of a permanent road between Mela Ilanthaikulam and Kattaarankulam.