M.P. Marimuthu (75), who was one among the many hundreds of farmers on the banks of River Noyyal affected by the indiscriminate effluent discharge of Tirupur dyeing units, has defied all odds to revive farming on his 24-acre plot after a 20-year gap.
The plot situated at Morattupalayam hamlet, which was once a prosperous tract for cotton and vegetables, has been lying barren after the soil health was irreparably damaged due to the intensity of the pollution that stunted the crop growth.
It should be noted that this situation prompted the farmers along the Noyyal banks to approach Madras High Court seeking compensation and criminal prosecution against the dyeing units in the mid-1990s. The court ordered closure of all dyeing and bleaching units in Tirupur in 2011, and also the compensation. Unlike many farmers who lost hope of reviving agriculture on the highly polluted soil and joined textile units for employment after their livelihood got affected, Mr. Marimuthu decided to make an attempt for reclamation of the land to raise coconut using novel technique.
With the rich experience got from the farm and also the technical inputs from Agriculture Department officials, he planted coconuts which have now grown to a considerable size.
“I first applied gypsum all over and subsequently grown green manure crops before it was ploughed in-situ to improve soil health. Then, dug pits and filled it with nutrient-rich soil brought from elsewhere. Six-inch diameter pipes were then inserted and saplings planted inside it. Drip irrigation is used to water it,” he explained the ‘secret’ to The Hindu .
K. Arasappan, Assistant Director of Agriculture, pointed out that the success of Mr. Marimuthu has started resonating as some more farmers in the region had started the initial steps for raising crops using same methodology.
Mr. Marimuthu himself plans to expand cultivation area.
Source : The Hindu
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