Farmers in TN climb high-voltage towers in protest against PGCI

Protesting against the installation of the power towers on their agricultural land, two groups of farmers climbed atop high tension electricity tower yesterday.

Tension prevailed in the village yesterday. 10 villagers from Semmandampalayamclimbed and around 20 others at Chenniandavar Kovil held protest by climbing the electric towers, when officials Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) began measuring land for the proposed erection of transmission towers.

The protesters were persuaded to climb down and later arrested. CPI(M) MP-elect P R Natarajan from Coimbatore condemned the arrest of the farmers.

The farmers defended their protests by saying the erection of transmission towers would affect their livelihood.