Over two hundred farmers affiliated to an apolitical forum, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, staged a demonstration here on Wednesday to protest against the Gas Authority of India Limited’s (GAIL) choice of farmland in the district to lay gas pipeline to take natural gas from Kochi to Bangalore. The gas pipeline project of GAIL passes through 16 revenue villages in Krishnagiri district for a stretch of 47 km. As per the plan of GAIL, the pipeline work enters Krishnagiri district in Royakottai from Palacode in Dharmapuri district. The pipeline reaches Bengalooru via Royakottai, Poonapalli and fourteen other revenue villages. Addressing the protesters, Dr. M.R. Sivasami, State President of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam said that the Central public sector Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) was exploiting the farmers by way of offering a meagre sum of Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh per acre (market value of the lands Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 5 crore) as compensation for the lands acquired for the purpose of laying pipelines. By way of doing this, they were grossly violating natural justice, as they were forcibly acquiring land for taking gas from Kerala to Karnataka via Tamil Nadu. GAIL has proposed to acquire 5,000 acres of agricultural lands in Krishnagiri district. The association will fight for the rights of the farmers and is also demanding that GAIL look for alternative routes alongside highways, railway lines, through forest areas or along the banks of rivers.