Farmers protest move to set up leather factory, prison on veterinary college campus near Namakkal

NAMAKKAL: Farmers staged a demonstration on Monday opposing the move to establish a leather factory and a prison on the Govt Veterinary College and Research Institute campus at Lathuvadi in Namakkal district.

The institute occupies 510 acres on the Namakkal-Mohanur state highway. It was reported that the state govt was planning to set up a leather factory on 175 acres of land and a prison on 25 acres. Ground levelling work had already been completed, they said.

Members of the Lathuvadi Farmers and Villagers Welfare Federation blocked the veterinary college entrance. After shouting slogans for an hour, the protesters proceeded to the collectorate where they met district collector Durgamoorthy and submitted a petition.

"We met the collector and sought clarification on the plan to establish a leather factory and a prison," federation leader V Raveendran told reporters.

“The collector told us that a final decision would be taken only after considering the public opinion,” he said.

Raveendran said the establishment of a leather factory would severely impact students, farmers and agricultural land. Presence of a prison on the campus would affect the academic activities of the veterinary college students, he said.