Kumari farmers claim cops foist cases, impose penalties for transporting silt

FARMERS complain that police personnel at some parts of the district stop them while transporting silt excavated from waterbodies and foist cases on them despite the state government granting them permission to do so.

- M ABDUL RABI @ Kanniyakumari

A Vins Anto, Kodayar irrigation system project committee chairman, pointed out to TNIE on Tuesday that the state government has permitted farmers to draw 'vandal mann' (silt) from waterbodies across the state for agricultural use. Accordingly, the district administration has permitted the use of silt excavated from more than 900 tanks in the district. After applying for permission from the respective tahsildar to draw it, farmers approach the executive engineer of the water resources depar