Farmers Protest Against Chipcot Expansion in Tiruvannamalai
CHENNAI: A protest is scheduled to take place today (Nov. 21) in 24 districts across Tiruvannamalai against the expansion of ‘Chipcot’. The government’s efforts to reduce the severity of the situation have been initiated.
In Melma village, Thiruvannamalai district, the government has been attempting to acquire 1,200 acres for Chipgad expansion. Seven farmers who continued protesting against this were arrested under the Goontar Act.
Political party leaders and farmers protested, resulting in the withdrawal of the Gangster Act against six people. However, Gangster legal action against Arul, who coordinated the protest, has not been ruled out.
The farmers are condemning this and insisting to abandon the Chipcot expansion project, while demanding action against the Collector and SP. The protest demonstration will take place in 24 districts today.
More than 100 farmers’ associations have joined together to form a farmers’ protest group for this purpose. A demonstration is being held today in Chennai’s Valluvar Sector, with social activists and people from the film industry expected to participate.
The government has made efforts to reduce the intensity of the demonstration and Agriculture Minister Panneerselvam and others are calling the farmers union executives to negotiate a compromise. Serious efforts are being made to prevent the hunger strike scheduled to take place in Chennai on the 29th.