Farmers complain about letting of sewage into irrigation channels, dumping of waste materials near waterbodies

Farmers of Madurai district raised complaints regarding the discharge of sewage into irrigation channels and the dumping of waste materials, particularly near the waterbodies, at the farmers grievance redressal meeting held at the Madurai Collectorate on Friday.

Madurai Collector M.S. Sangeetha presided over the meeting. The farmers complained that sewage was getting discharged into the irrigation channels in places like Madakulam and Saptur. They urged the authorities to take necessary action to prevent this.

They also complained that the banned plastic items were still in use and were discarded into the waterbodies. The waterbodies were choking with such debris, the farmers said and urged the authorities to take necessary action not only against those who were using the plastic items, but also against those who were involved in the manufacture of such items.

The Collector instructed the authorities to initiate appropriate action against the people who discarded waste materials along the waterbodies. Strict action should be taken in order to curb such activities, she said. The farmers also sought necessary steps to be taken to set up sewage treatment plants, particularly in places like Saptur.

The farmers also urged the authorities to fence the unused quarries in the district as it posed a threat to the people. The Collector instructed the authorities to conduct a survey and take necessary steps.

The farmers also sought the desilting of waterbodies, adequate cold storage and warehouse facilities. Other issues like removal of the seemai karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) trees and regarding electricity connection were also raised at the meeting.