Role of Youth in National Development
ELEVENTH NATIONAL CLIENT CONSULTING COMPETITION 2010
KERALA LAW ACADEMY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
SEMI FINAL
My name is Ram Manohar. I am a farmer engaged in paddy cultivation as well as the Secretary of an Association of farmers. I come from Thirunellveli district in Tamil Nadu. About five kilometers from my farm land, a multinational company established a factory for producing soft drinks. The entire land around the factory to an extent of 10 Sq.km was under paddy cultivation. The entire water requirement for the company was from bore wells in the company premises. It is understood from the employees of the company that each bore well is around 1000 ft deep. Since the establishment of the factory the water availability in the bore wells in the farm land started receding. The main water source for agriculture and day to day life is from bore wells. The company apart from producing soft drinks is also producing a fertilizer as a by -product. The Agriculture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu is marketing the fertilizer at a subsidized rate. The said fertilizer is very cheap and the farmers are using the same for paddy cultivation. However the use of fertilizer has reduced the yield. Since the past two years almost the entire bore wells in the farm land has gone dry. Hence I am unable to cultivate paddy for the last two years. Around 2000 farmers in the locality are similarly placed. The Government has appointed a study commission to look into the issue of shortage of water, reduced yield and connected issues. After enquiry the Commission recommended the immediate closing of the factory. The Government of Tamil Nadu acted on the Report and closed the factory. In the meantime the Government also framed rules for regulating bore wells. The company has wound up its entire activities in India and closed its office and its responsible persons had left India. The entire farmers in the locality under the association are on an indefinite strike. We are demanding
KERALA LAW ACADEMY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
SEMI FINAL
My name is Ram Manohar. I am a farmer engaged in paddy cultivation as well as the Secretary of an Association of farmers. I come from Thirunellveli district in Tamil Nadu. About five kilometers from my farm land, a multinational company established a factory for producing soft drinks. The entire land around the factory to an extent of 10 Sq.km was under paddy cultivation. The entire water requirement for the company was from bore wells in the company premises. It is understood from the employees of the company that each bore well is around 1000 ft deep. Since the establishment of the factory the water availability in the bore wells in the farm land started receding. The main water source for agriculture and day to day life is from bore wells. The company apart from producing soft drinks is also producing a fertilizer as a by -product. The Agriculture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu is marketing the fertilizer at a subsidized rate. The said fertilizer is very cheap and the farmers are using the same for paddy cultivation. However the use of fertilizer has reduced the yield. Since the past two years almost the entire bore wells in the farm land has gone dry. Hence I am unable to cultivate paddy for the last two years. Around 2000 farmers in the locality are similarly placed. The Government has appointed a study commission to look into the issue of shortage of water, reduced yield and connected issues. After enquiry the Commission recommended the immediate closing of the factory. The Government of Tamil Nadu acted on the Report and closed the factory. In the meantime the Government also framed rules for regulating bore wells. The company has wound up its entire activities in India and closed its office and its responsible persons had left India. The entire farmers in the locality under the association are on an indefinite strike. We are demanding