TN Toddy Movement campaign from January 21

ERODE: Members of the Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement will start an awareness campaign from Kanyakumari on January 21 demanding the  government to take steps to protect palm and coconut trees in the State for improving rural economy.The campaign will culminate in Chennai on January 26 after passing through 15 districts, said S Nallasamy, the movement president and lawyer, at the movement’s meeting here on Friday. On January 27, the rallyists will submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister, he added. Many resolutions were adopted at the meeting. One of the resolutions adopted was to urge the government to lift  the ban on toddy tapping and allow farmers to produce and sell it locally till the enforcement of total prohibition. It also demanded that the AIADMK government announce the procurement price for sugarcane at `2,500 as announced in the poll manifesto.Demanding a strong Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in the states, the meeting urged the Centre and State to pass such Acts without delay. It also demanded that the government take steps to fill posts of members and chairmen in coconut growers and palm workers welfare boards.