CHENNAI: Farmers in three villages of Madurai district, who have been battling against the state machinery during the DMK regime to save their fertile lands from being acquired for industries, are now pinning their hopes on the AIADMK government and have urged the chief minister J Jayalalithaa to look into the issue of forcible acquisition of land by officials bending every rule.The farmers along with rights activists met Agriculture Minister K A Sengottaiyan, Industries Minister S P Velumani and Industries secretary Dr N Sundaradevan and provided them with valid documents highlighting the state high-handedness in acquiring 1,478 acres of land in Sivarakkotai, Karisalkalanpatti and Swamimallampatti in Thirumangalam taluk of Madurai district by lying in the court, tampering with the records and even burning them and denying information through the RTI Act.When Express contacted the Industries Secretary Sundaradevan, he said State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) is looking into the issue and refused to comment further. Talking to Express after meeting the officials and submitting a petition, RTI activist and Madurai District Farmers Welfare Association secretary M Ramalingam said that the district administration during the DMK regime persevered to acquire fertile lands for industries even though the then Industries Secretary had forbidden it. According to documents available with Express, the then Madurai district collector S S Jawahar identified fertile lands for acquisition and then prepared a fudged document to show that the land was barren. Now the local MLA has given a letter stating that the land is fertile, said Ramalingam. Interestingly, when the farmers approached the court, the Collector lied in the court stating only 96 farmers owned 1,470 acres of tract whereas the district administration issued notices to 2,000 farmers. And when the court sought documents, land records were mysteriously burnt and a VAO was held and later let off,” the farmer-turned-RTI activist said.
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