THOOTHUKUDI: Farmers dependent on the Korampallam tank located near Thoothukudi town alleged silt and karambai (fertile silt) removed from it were not being supplied to farmers, but they were being sold by dredgers to realtors at a huge price.
Farmers say the district administration has permitted the removal of silt deposits from the tank so as to increase its storage capacity. The government has permitted farmers to take them freely as silt and karambai sands are good for agriculture.
A banana farmer, M Rathnapandi of Vadaku Kalangarai village, said that he had applied for taking karambai sand to fill up his agricultural land two months ago.
“Water from the Korampallam tank seeps into my low-lying land, which is close to the tank, thus spoiling crops as it cannot be drained. However, the operators don’t give the sand. They charge more than `1,000 per load, and I can not afford it,” he said. “Those who excavate the silt sell it to the realtors,” he claimed.