Tiruppur farmers call off protest, accept assurance on time-bound compensation for livestock killed by dogs 

Farmers seek compensation for poultry killed by stray dogs at Kangayam in Tiruppur district on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Farmers who had planned to move into the Collectorate campus in Tiruppur on Saturday frustrated over delay in payment of compensation for the death of livestock caused by stray dogs confined their protest to Kangayam following talks with officials of the Revenue and Police departments.

In deference to the call by the PAP Vellakovil Branch Canal (Kangayam-Vellakoil) Water Conservation Association, farmers had converged at Bhagavathipalayam in Veeranampalayam village along with cattle, goats, sheep and poultry.

The district administration is learnt to have recommended compensation for the affected farmers, and accepted to fix a time frame of 45 days for disbursing the amount.

The farmers have demanded that they be compensated for the goats, sheep and poultry killed and injured by the stray dogs, at market rates.

According to P. Velusamy, president of PAP Vellakovil Branch Canal (Kangayam-Vellakoil) Water Conservation Association, the farmers have taken the assurance of the district administration on compensation at face value, though the uncertainty over the amount of compensation was still an unfilled gap.

For every goat or sheep killed by the dogs, the government has to fix compensation of ₹6,000.

“When the government is prepared to pay ₹10 lakh as compensation to the kin of hooch tragedy victims, there is no reason why compensation at market rate must not be provided to the affected farmers,” Mr. Velusamy said.

The police department had scaled up presence of personnel at the checkposts along the National Highways to prevent entry of protesting farmers into the city.