Vaigai water for single crop to be released on October 1

MADURAI: The Vaigai water for single crop would be released on October 1, district collector L Subramanian announced here on Friday. The collector made the announcement after persistent demands from farmers during a grievance day programme held at the collectorate.
The farmers said it would have been more useful if the water was released on September 15.
"Around 85,000 acres of single crop would be directly benefitted if the water was released. But there has been undue delay in releasing the water," said K Kathiresan, a single crop farmer.
Meanwhile, N Palanisamy, a farmer from Melur area, raised the issue of private mills luring the sugarcane farmers and taking away produce.
The sugarcane farmers have a contract with the government sugarcane factory at Alanganallur. But, agents from private sugarcane factories lure the farmers with ready cash in hand. Some farmers fall prey and give away their produce for a low price.
The government is providing Rs 2,650 per tonne but the private parties pay Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 less. The illegal activity is rampant in many places, including Melur and Alanganallur. The district collector said all the check-posts will be alerted and sugarcane-laden vehicles would be checked thoroughly to stop the practice.
Melur farmers also demanded a detail investigation into the encroachment of various water channels by illegal granite quarries. The farmers said that they were shocked by the officials' report that only 12 channels were encroached upon.