Farmers seek solar fencing to protect crops from wild animals

Farmers from Manur region have submitted a petition to Tirunelveli Collector R. Sukumar, seeking the installation of solar-powered fencing to farm lands to protect agricultural crops from wild animals. The petition was submitted at the weekly public grievance redressal meeting held at the Collectorate on Monday. During the meeting farmers submitted the petition stating the following: “In and around Manur region, farmers are unable to cultivate crops due to frequent damage caused by wild boars, deer and peacocks. Even when crops are cultivated, they are destroyed before the harvest.” They added that despite lodging multiple complaints with the district administration and the forest department, no action has been taken so far. In the petition they have requested the government to arrange solar fencing with full subsidy through solar companies to safeguard agricultural lands. In another petition, Women Health Volunteers (WHV) working under “Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam” sought the government to regularise them as permanent workers, provide appropriate wages and that their designation as volunteers be changed as permanent staff with monthly salaries. The petition submitted by them stated that more than 200 volunteers from Tirunelveli, mostly women from marginalised income families and self-help groups, have been working under the scheme since COVID-19 period. They added that initially they were appointed at low wages only to identify non-communicable diseases, but now they are instructed to identify infectious diseases and collect samples as well. They stated that medicines cannot be transported by bus nor can they be carried on foot to village areas, forcing them to use two-wheelers, while their wages are insufficient even to cover the fuel expenses. In the petition they requested the government to regularise them as permanent employees and to appropriate monthly salaries, stating that this would enable them to perform their duties with greater dedication. Published - December 22, 2025 08:53 pm IST

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