Extraction of silt: Ryots continue fast in TN's Sathyamangalam

Erode (Tamil Nadu), Jun 6 (PTI) The hunger strike by a section of farmers continued near here for the second day on Saturday urging the authorities to not insist on any riders for removal of silt from the Bhavanisagar Dam, official sources said.

About 400 farmers, after obtaining permission from local officials, headed to the Bhavanisagar Dam on Friday to extract silt since the storage level is low. However, farmers claimed that the forest authorities insisted that only a specific number of vehicles could be allowed to pass through a check post for this purpose.

Farmers, however, explained their plight and requested the officials not to insist on any condition for removal of silt.

When the initial round of talks failed, officials allegedly did

not show interest in continuing talks and farmers sat on a hunger strike on the premises of Sathyamangalam Forest Office, about 60 km from here.

The hunger strike entered the second day today, and farmers urged officials not to insist on any condition and allow removal of silt from the dam. PTI COR VGN KH