Farmers' associations scale up magnitude of impending ‘Organic Seeds and Food Festival' in Tiruppur, in its second edition
Last time, there were about 1,000 students from 12 schools. This time around, the footfall will be many times more as the organic seeds and food festival have been scheduled for two days on July 26 and 27 at the DRG Marriage Hall along Palladam Road, encompassing painting and elocution competitions and debate on nature farming, and the support systems available under government schemes to propagate organic farming, according to the organisers.
Last year, the one-day event served the purpose of sensitising the upcoming generation to organic cultivation of vegetables and the significance of soil-suitability for specific vegetables.
This time, a display of ancient farm implements and farming practices will provide a peek into healthy living for several thousands of school students, who really matter for propagating organic sustainable farming in the long run, Ainthunai Velusamy, State coordinator of TNFPA and TNNFF said.
At least 10 hitherto lesser known edible banana varieties raised in a field by a nature farmer Senthilkumar, near Kanjikovil in Erode district, will be displayed, among several other crop varieties, Mr. Velusamy said.
A debate on 'Denied, hidden and forgotten traditions' and inherent politics will involve front-ranking nature farmers as speakers.
Votaries of organic farming will also deliberate on the 'political euphemism' behind replacement of the term 'genetic modification' with 'gene editing' by policy-makers, and drive home the importance of fulfilling the mandatory requirements of the substantial process of testing before introducing any genetically-manipulated seed variety, Mr. Velusamy emphasised.
Citing the instance of BT Cotton, he said the impact of the crop on entire food chain is seldom discussed.
The leftover cottonseed cake after extraction of the milk is used as feed for livestock and cattle. The milk yield from the animals again enters into the human food system.
The school managements seem to be already aware of the importance of organic farming, Mr. Velusamy said, observing that the enthusiasm from the invited schools to be a part of the nature-friendly initiative generates hope for promotion of sustainable organic agriculture among the upcoming generation.
'We are also reaching out to government schools and are keen on involving the students from the rural parts in the event,' he said.
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The Hindu
17-07-2025
- The Hindu
Farmers' associations scale up magnitude of impending ‘Organic Seeds and Food Festival' in Tiruppur, in its second edition
Seeking to improve on the maiden organic seeds festival conducted last year at Gobichettipalayam in Erode district, the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association (TNFPA) and the Tamil Nadu Nature Farmers Federation (TNNFF) have reached out to over 60 schools for participation in the various awareness competitions and activities planned for the Kongu Region Seeds and Food Festival at Tiruppur later this month. Last time, there were about 1,000 students from 12 schools. This time around, the footfall will be many times more as the organic seeds and food festival have been scheduled for two days on July 26 and 27 at the DRG Marriage Hall along Palladam Road, encompassing painting and elocution competitions and debate on nature farming, and the support systems available under government schemes to propagate organic farming, according to the organisers. Last year, the one-day event served the purpose of sensitising the upcoming generation to organic cultivation of vegetables and the significance of soil-suitability for specific vegetables. This time, a display of ancient farm implements and farming practices will provide a peek into healthy living for several thousands of school students, who really matter for propagating organic sustainable farming in the long run, Ainthunai Velusamy, State coordinator of TNFPA and TNNFF said. At least 10 hitherto lesser known edible banana varieties raised in a field by a nature farmer Senthilkumar, near Kanjikovil in Erode district, will be displayed, among several other crop varieties, Mr. Velusamy said. A debate on 'Denied, hidden and forgotten traditions' and inherent politics will involve front-ranking nature farmers as speakers. Votaries of organic farming will also deliberate on the 'political euphemism' behind replacement of the term 'genetic modification' with 'gene editing' by policy-makers, and drive home the importance of fulfilling the mandatory requirements of the substantial process of testing before introducing any genetically-manipulated seed variety, Mr. Velusamy emphasised. Citing the instance of BT Cotton, he said the impact of the crop on entire food chain is seldom discussed. The leftover cottonseed cake after extraction of the milk is used as feed for livestock and cattle. The milk yield from the animals again enters into the human food system. The school managements seem to be already aware of the importance of organic farming, Mr. Velusamy said, observing that the enthusiasm from the invited schools to be a part of the nature-friendly initiative generates hope for promotion of sustainable organic agriculture among the upcoming generation. 'We are also reaching out to government schools and are keen on involving the students from the rural parts in the event,' he said.
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- The Hindu
Farmers call for coordinated action by Central and State governments for mitigation of human-wildlife conflict
Conveying their concern over the persistence of wildlife-human conflict, farmers' associations in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts have urged the Central and State governments to get their acts together to mitigate the problem. While the Union government must launch a centralised helpline, the State government has to equip the forest personnel with walkie-talkies and other paraphernalia to address the issue, the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association has emphasised. Citing the recurring instances of human deaths due to attack by elephants in recent months, Eesan Murugasamy, Founder, Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association, said the victims mainly constitute farmers and agricultural workers. The helpline will enable farmers to alert the Forest Department about presence of wild animals outside forest boundaries without loss of time, paving way for prompt action before damage is caused to humans and agricultural crops, Mr. Murugasamy said. Likewise, forest personnel at the field level must be equipped with wireless walkie-talkies for ease of communication with superior officers while patrolling in the forest areas. Farmers in Udumalpet in Tiruppur district and Mettupalayam-Karamadai belt of Coimbatore district who have been facing substantial losses due to damages caused to agricultural and horticultural crops by wild animals called for a decisive categorisation of wild pigs that venture out of the forest areas and destroy crops, and herds that move deep into human habitation and stays put in thickets, in management of human-wildlife conflict. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, it is learnt, has initiated action for establishment of a Centre of Excellence for human-wildlife conflict management, to find amicable solutions through advanced technologies, including AI, for management of human-wildlife conflicts. Based on interactions with the stakeholders, the ministry has decided to develop appropriate strategies for plausible actions to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. An advisory to deal with human wildlife conflict issued by the ministry during 2021 recommends coordinated interdepartmental action, identification of conflict hotspots, adherence to standard operating procedures, establishment of rapid response teams, formation of State and district level committees to review the quantum of ex-gratia relief, issuing guidance and instructions for expedited payments, and provision of adequate funds for ex-gratia relief to be paid to the affected persons in the case of death and injury. Species-specific guidelines were issued during 2023 for mitigation of conflicts arising from various wild animals: elephant, gaur, leopard, snake, crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, wild pig, bear, blue bull and blackbuck.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
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Coimbatore man gets double life term, 16 years of RI for raping elderly Dalit woman in 2022
The Special Court for the trial of cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Coimbatore on Tuesday awarded 16 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and double life imprisonment to a 42-year-old man from Kinathukadavu in the district for raping an elderly Dalit woman in 2022. Judge K. Vivekananthan awarded the punishment to M. Velusamy, a daily wage labourer from a village near Kinathukadavu. Velusamy, who belongs to a dominant caste, was arrested for raping a 65-year-old Dalit woman from the village on June 26, 2022. He committed the crime when the woman went out in search of fodder for goats. As per the First Information Report (FIR), Velusamy also assaulted the woman when she resisted the rape attempt. While Velusamy escaped after the crime, the woman managed to walk to the nearest bus stop, where she fainted. After identifying the woman in unconscious state, a villager informed her grandson, who rushed her to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Kinathukadavu. Sensing the gravity of the crime and the health condition of the woman, the PHC authorities referred her to the District Headquarters Hospital in Pollachi. S. Amutha, the then inspector of the All Women Police Station (AWPS), Perur, reached the hospital after being alerted about the crime and recorded the woman's statement. The court found Velusamy guilty and awarded him seven years of rigorous imprisonment for offence under Section 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code. He was awarded another seven years of RI for offences under Section 325 IPC read with 3 (2) (Va) of SC/ST) of SC/ST Act. He was sentenced to undergo two years of RI for 506 (i) (criminal intimidation). The court awarded life imprisonment to the accused for offence under Section 376 (1) of IPC and another life term for offence under Section 376 (1) read with 3(2) (v) of SC/ST Act. The convict was ordered to undergo the two life terms concurrently, after undergoing the 16 years of rigorous imprisonment for other offences consecutively. He was slapped with a total fine of ₹32,000.
