Traffic on Orathanadu-Vallam Road at Thennamanadu was disrupted on Monday after farmers parked tractors on the road protesting ‘non-functioning’ of a direct purchase centre (DPC) in their area.
The DPC was closed following heavy rain during the past few weeks.
On Monday, some farmers harvesting the paddy crop went to the centre to find out if it was opened or not. As the gates remained locked, they brought their tractors and parked them on Orathanadu-Vallam Road. As a result, traffic was disrupted for a few hours.
On hearing about the protest, police rushed to the spot and pacified the demonstrators. They said their plea for reopening of the DPC would be conveyed to authorities. The farmers then removed their vehicles from the road.
Meanwhile, Thamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam on Monday passed a resolution warning the Tamil Nadu government that a State-wide agitation would be organised if the free farm power supply scheme was scrapped as a fall out of the Electricity Amendment Bill.
The resolution was passed at a memorial meeting of C. Narayanasamy Naidu held here.
The Sangam observed that farmers feared that they would be at the mercy of private mandi owners as the new farm laws did not assure the minimum support price.
Further, if the free farm power supply scheme was withdrawn despite an assurance from the Chief Minister, the Sangam would organise State-wide mass demonstrations. It had also chalked out plans to conduct a demonstration demanding waiver of all loans obtained by farmers.
The meeting was presided over by Thanajvur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam district coordinator P. Jagadeesan and attended by State president S.A. Chinnasamy and vice-president T. Manimozhiyan.