‘Water scarcity curtailed cultivation of short-term crops’. The Tamizhaga Vivasayegal Sangam has made an appeal to the Government to declare Tamil Nadu as a drought-hit State. A resolution in this connection was passed at the state executive committee meeting of the association, here on Saturday. The association’s state president, M.R. Sivasamy, presided over the meeting in which 14 resolutions were passed. “Acute water scarcity across the State has curtailed the cultivation of short-term crops. Perennial crops such as coconut and betel nut have also fallen prey to the severity of the drought. Considering the facts, the Government of Tamil Nadu should declare the State as drought-hit and help farmers get the required relief on time”, Mr. Sivasamy said. He also insisted that the Government should give Rs. 10,000 as drought relief for an acre of agricultural land for all farmers,without differentiating them as large scale and small scale land owners. “The nationalised banks and cooperative banks should waive all the crop loans given to farmers”, he said. Mr. Sivasamy also made an appeal to the government to sanction drip irrigation at 100 per cent subsidy for all the farmers. The other main demand of the association was to urge the government to fix the minimum price of a quintal of turmeric at Rs. 12,000. They also made an appeal to the government to curtail adulteration of sago (produced from tapioca) with maize and harmful chemicals. Farmers have asked the government to consider the nutrition value of sago and add sago for school children under the nutritious noon meal scheme. Mr. Sivasamy said that the association will organise State-wide agitations if the above said demands were not fulfilled by the government. “The agitation plan and date will soon be released”, he said.