Farmers protest move to acquire land for Perambalur-Manamadurai highway project

THANJAVUR: Opposing the Perambalur-Manamadurai road laying project, farmers from six villages in and around Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur staged a protest on Thursday.
The farmers will have to forgo around 100 acres of agriculture land for the project. They stated that farming was their livelihood.
An official source said in the Perambalur - Manamadurai National Highways project (number 212), the road cuts through Thanjavur district.It has already been improved up to Thanjavur from Perambalur. The next phase of work is from Thanjavur to Manamadurai.
The officials earmarked around 100 acres of farmland to lay a bypass road near Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district as part of this highway project.
However, farmers from six villages including Kandiyur, Arasoor, Thirupoonthiruthi in Thiruvaiyaru taluk opposed the survey that took place in the year 2019. They refused to forgo their agriculture lands.
However, the highways authorities resumed their survey work to acquire the land. Upon knowing the process, farmers from the six villagers staged a protest by standing on a paddy field in Kandiyur carrying a pot and holding a black flag. They raised slogans.
Many women affiliated to Thanjavur District Cauvery Farmers Protection Association headed by P Sugumaran participated in the protest.
Sugumara said, "Around 45 feet vacant land is there on both sides of the existing road. NHAI authorities can utilise this stretch that is mostly occupied by encroachers. However, without using the wastelands that are lying idle on both sides of the road, officials are keen on snatching fertile agricultural land which is the livelihood of small and marginal farmers. "
“Highways authorities should utilise the vacant land, instead of taking away the source of our meagre income”, he added.
Sources in the highways authorities said that the existing road is crossing the town. The very purpose of laying a bypass road was to avoid traffic congestion. Hence, they were forced to use the available agriculture lands.