| Work Detail |
The stand-off between SKT Agro Foods Limited and ‘Mahalir Thittam’, the State government’s socio-economic empowerment programme for women, has brought seed production in the mushroom spawn production centre here to a halt, resulting in non-availability of mushroom seeds to farmers. The district administration established the centre, the first in the district, last year, tying up with the Kalayarkoil-based private firm, at a cost of about Rs. 16 lakh to supply high quality mushroom spawns and encourage farmers to take up milky mushroom cultivation, ideally suited for the arid district. As part of the agreement, K. Arun Thomas, Managing Director of the firm, offered to provide free training to farmers in mushroom cultivation, supply seeds to them at the rate fixed by the government and bear electricity charges. After the firm started producing seeds, about 40 farmers took up mushroom cultivation in the district. Meanwhile, problem arose in payment of electricity tariff during the last couple of months with M. Jayaraman, Project Officer, Mahalir Thittam, disconnecting power supply to the firm. Collector S. Natarajan intervened and suggested that the company be given separate power connection and allowed to carry out its day-to-day activities. As advised by the Collector, the Project Officer gave a letter for separate power connection, but withdrew it as the company had allegedly tapped illegal power supply. This rendered the firm not being able to produce seeds for the last two months. Aggrieved by non-availability of seeds, a group of farmers presented petitions to the Collector here on Monday, after which Mr. Natarajan called a meeting between Mr. Jayaraman and Mr. Thomas to sort out the issue later this week, official sources said. |
