Farmers want vegetable-laden vehicles exempted from night ban on Dhimbam ghat road

Let more speed-control measures be in place to protect wildlife of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, they say

With restrictions on vehicle movement on the stretch from Bannari to Karapallam check-posts affecting people in hill areas, farmers in Talavadi want at least vegetable-laden trucks exempted from the ban.

The Madras High Court ordered the Forest Department to implement the Erode District Gazette notification dated January 7, 2019 that restricts all vehicle movement from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the stretch on the Coimbatore–Bengaluru National Highway 948. Hence, vehicles were completely banned from using the stretch from February 10 resulting in piling up of vehicles during the day time.

Vegetables like tomato, potato, onion, cabbage, beans and chow chow, grown in Talavadi and various districts of Karnataka – Chamrajanagar, Mandya and Mysuru, are transported everyday to markets in Erode, Coimbatore, Mettupalayam, Oddanchatram, Tiruchi and other parts of the State.

Vegetables are usually harvested during the day time and transported in over 250 to 300 vehicles to reach markets in the early hours next morning. “Since the restriction is in place, harvesting, grading and packing is done from early hours so that the vehicle crosses the stretch before 6 p.m.,” said S. Manickam, a farmer in Talavadi who added that workers could not be engaged during night time for harvesting.

Farmers said that perishable items should reach the market on time, failing which traders would refuse to accept vegetables. Movement of vehicles on the ghat road was affected for 40 hours on February 20 and 21 as a granite-laden lorry developed snag while negotiating a hairpin bend. “Vehicles were caught in traffic for over 12 hours and the vegetables could not be delivered on time,” said another farmer.

Members of Talavadi Farmers’ Association wanted exemption for vegetable-laden vehicles to use the stretch so that goods could reach the markets on time. “Though wildlife protection is a priority, it should not affect the livelihood of farmers. Let more speed-control measures be in place,” the association said and wanted the district administration to consider the plea of the farmers.