Physical distancing norm to check the spread of COVID-19 went for a toss, when farmers eager for free farm connections under the Tatkal scheme queued up in front of the Hosur sub-division office of Tangedco here on Tuesday. However, the farmers alleged that there was no arrangement on the part of Tangedco to manage the heavy rush.
The scheme entails farmers remitting a one-time deposit for free farm connection. The government had announced 50,000 free farm connections across the State, part under seniority and part under the Tatkal scheme.
With no help desk in place, the office witnessed hundreds of farmers waiting in a closely-packed queue. The farmers claimed that tokens were issued from Monday afternoon to regulate the crowd. Reports of an 83-year-old farmer fainting in the queue also made its rounds, but could not be verified.
Hosur Small Farmers’ Association president and National Horticulture Board director Bala Siva Prasad alleged that Tangedco was ill-prepared, as close to 900 farmers arrived on a single day.
“The government should have given a breakup of the number of free farm connections for each block out of the 50,000 farm connections announced and ensured the numbers reached the farmers. Farmers from villages had queued up with tokens, while those with influence and without tokens jumped queues to submit their applications. Many farmers stood in line throughout the day, waiting for a family member to replace them to keep the spot, thinking they would get a connection. The sub-division office did not have that kind of staff strength and farmers had to wait without food or water,” Mr. Prasad alleged.
Munraj, a farmer from Berigai, said Tangedco should have called the first 100 farmers on day one if they issued tokens.
A Tangedco official told The Hindu, “Farmers distributed tokens among themselves and we only gave tokens as they came in.” But farmers insisted that tokens were issued unofficially to regulate the crowd.
According to the official, Krishnagiri circle (Krishnagiri, Pochampalli and Hosur divisions) has been allocated approximately 2,200 connections. Of these, over 1,000 connections are for Hosur division.
As of late Tuesday evening, 900 applications were received from Denkanikottai and Hosur.