Organic farmer Nammalvar in focus

Tiruchy: A group of 'Green Warriors' are now on a 'padayatra' to highlight the message, "Ride for Rights to Save Tamil Nadu," from Chennai to Vanagam village in Karur district, where a memorial to the late 'natural agriculture scientist (Iyarkkai Velaan Vingyani) Nammalvar, has been built.

They arrived here on Tuesday to a warm reception by members of city-based Thanneer, an NGO fighting for the environment and groundwater led by its secretary K.C. Neelamegam. Both the 'padayatris' and local volunteers distributed pamphlets at the busy central bus stand area, said sources.

One of the coordinators of 'Green Warriors', Bharathi Kannan told DC that they commenced their walk from Chennai on December 1 and another group started from Tirupathur in Vellore district on the second anniversary of the Chennai rains and floods of 2015.

He said that so far they have covered several places on way between Chennai and Tiruchy, while another group was covering villages between Tirupathur and Tiruchy.

The 'padayatras' evoked "tremendous response", he said, adding, they would reach the relentless organic farming crusader Nammalvar's memorial at Vanagam in Karur district on December 30. Several programme on natural agriculture and seed collection methods have been organised to mark the occasion, he added.