STATES TAMIL NADU : A VICTORY FOR FARMERS AT THE END OF THE PANDEMIC YEAR
- Gabriele Dietrich
O
n December 21, 2020 a government order (Nr. 268) from the Industries (SIPCOT-LA) Department was issued in Tamil Nadu, which brought a thirteen years old land struggle of the Madurai Farmers Organisation to a successful end. The order concerned 1478 acres of farmland of the villages of Sivarakottai, Karusaikalampatti and Swaminallampatti, in Thirumangalam Taluk. The poramboke land, which sustained the farmers flourishing agriculture was required by SIPCOT for setting up an industrial park. SIPCOT had originally categorised these lands as “wasteland”, but was compelled to acknowledge that this is a total misnomer after continued challenge by the farmers.
Gnanadurai confirmed. The crops also provide fodder for large herds of goats and sheep. Earlier, in 2007, the government had tried to acquire lands in Vellakulam, Kalligudi and Kengampatti, but shelved this plan after a while and also dropped a plan for thousand acres of land in Sengapadai. However, in 2009 a G.O. was issued to acquire 1,475 acres of land in Sivarakottai, Karisalkalampatti and Swaminallampatti. The Madurai District Farmer’s Association is convinced that the officials misguided the High Court at that time, so they lost the case and had to appeal the order in the Supreme Court. Even there, justice was not served to the farmers. The land acquisition notices had not yet been issued to the farmers, which, according to very recent change in the TN Land Acquisition Act, was a requirement.
It has been proven that people’s lives would be ruined if these lands are taken away for industrial purpose. The victory is to a large extent due to the unwavering inspiration and undeterred tenacity of M. Ramalingam, President or Madurai District Farmers Association, who spearheaded the protest all along. They documented the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna (plants and wildlife) of the area through photo exhibitions, numerous press interviews, as well as invitations to ecological and human rights organisations, who came out in strong support for the struggle. Women’s participation was enhanced by Pennurimai Iyakkam, a state wide women’s organisation. Medha Patkar also came to Thirumangalam with the NAPM “Samvidhaan Samman Yatra” and addressed a widely attended hall meeting.
However, people never felt discouraged, they refused to give up. They had experienced so much encouragement throughout, even in Delhi. Ms. Jayalalitha, who was at that time the leader of the opposition in T.N., had promised to save the contested lands, but did not implement her promise speedily enough and later died without having taken action. But people sustained the faith in their struggle. As elections are nearing again, the incumbent AI-ADMK saw to it that SIPCOT finally issued the G.O. 268 and invalidated the old G.O.No. 58 of 12.6.2009. It is now officially acknowledged that the Industrial Park in Sivarakotttai had become obsolete, as there was one such “Park” already functioning in Kappalur, at a distance of only ten kilometres, as well as another one in Sattur, 45 km away.
Despite lack of irrigation, the black soil of the area holds water for a long period and a single good rain goes a long way in helping growth of millets, pulses and cotton. Even in times when the Periyar-Vaigai irrigation system runs dry, due to lack of storage in the catchment area, the rainfed fields in the area sill produce twenty two varieties of millets, pulses and cotton, as the former Joint Director of Agriculture A. Jayasingh
Not only that, the new G.O. acknowledged that the lands are indeed very fertile and innumerable protests have taken place from affected panchayats. The District Collector
39
