Chennai: No permission will be given for factories that pose a threat to farmers in Cauvery delta zone, Chief Minister MK Stalin today said.
Speaking at the first meeting of Cauvery Delta Protected Special Agricultural Zone here, the Chief Minister said, ‘The government will take all efforts to ensure welfare of agriculturists besides generating more employment opportunities through agro- based industries’.
As far as getting Cauvery water from Karnataka for irrigational purposes to benefit farmers is concerned, the Chief Minister said, ‘all efforts including legal and political measures will be taken up’.
To help farmers make profits, Stalin urged agriculturists to adopt new methods of farming and accept new varieties of seeds. There is an urgent need to implement them, he said.
In order to increase yield, farmers should cultivate alternate crops that need less water during summer and Kuruvai cultivation, he said and added, ‘After consulting farmers associations and within legal framework, a long-term policy for Cauvery delta region would be initiated which would benefit them the most’.
Alleging that the previous government failed to implement measures for farmers especially in delta region, the Chief Minister, ‘After we took charge, special consultations with farmers associations were conducted following which a separate budget for agriculture was tabled in the Assembly.’
He said, ‘Last year, the Mettur reservoir was opened on time for irrigational purposes. The canals were desilted before sluice gates were opened in Mettur dam at a cost of Rs 65.11 crore. This lead to Tamilnadu witnessing a new history of largest rice cultivation in the last 46 years in 2021’.
Desilting works are carried out even today at a total cost of over Rs 80 crore, he said. He also listed various facilities including warehouses constructed to store the yield by the State government.
He also highlighted the importance of delta region in taking up farming on a large scale.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, senior Ministers, MPs and officials of Agriculture department.