The Santhiveli police today obtained an injunction order against dairy farmers in Batticaloa who have been protesting for the last 24 days against the alleged encroachment of land they use for grazing their cattle.

The farmers claim that crop farmers from other districts have occupied the land they traditionally used for grazing. The Madhavanai-Mayilathamadu area falls under the Mahaweli Development Authority.

Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) MPs took up the cause of the dairy farmers by demonstrating inside parliament yesterday. The Madhavanai-Mayilathamadu area is reportely used for grazingapproximately 500,000 livestock including cattle and buffalo.

The issue is likely to be exacerbated in the coming months, TNA Batticaloa District Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam warned. According to Rasamanickam encroachers have mostly grown corn which has just seeded and will grow throughout October and November.

It is harvested in December and January. According to the Department of Animal Production and Health, cattle in the Eastern Province are primarily free-ranging and cause damage to crops which is why during paddy cultivation season, which is now approaching,they are actively moved away to pasturelands. In Madhavanai-Mayilathamadu the cattle herds’ interaction with the corn crop is likely to increase in the coming months and could thus escalate the conflict between the crop and dairy farmers if it remains unresolved.