Farmers in Tiruppur district prevented Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) from proceeding with its Irugur-Devangonthi Pipeline (IDPL) project across agricultural fields at two locations for the second day on Tuesday. The places are Sikkaripuram near Veeracholapuram village and Ponparappi near Olapalayam in Vellakovil block.

The farmers demanded that the compensation be fixed at ₹2 lakh a cent of farm land and that 40 feet out of the 60 feet of land earmarked for the project by the BPCL be returned to them after the pipeline is laid. The project has the capacity to transport 3.5 million metric tonnes of refined fuels per annum.

The farmers reasoned that the State government should desist from pressurising them to part their agricultural land for the sake of Karnataka, where the destination of the pipeline is located.

Easan Murugesan, founder, Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Association, said that when Karnataka is refusing to release Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water and is going ahead with Mekadatu reservoir project, there was no reason for farmers in Tamil Nadu to comply with the BPCL’s plan of action.

According to the farmers, the value of their agricultural land plummeted after the first pipeline was laid for a length of 74 km from Irugur to Muthur 30 years back, and even nationalised banks were reluctant to give them farm loans.

The move by the State government to facilitate the project through police protection has pained the farmers, Mr. Murugasamy added.

Published - August 18, 2026 08:35 pm IST