Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday mourned the death of a farmer who protested against the GAIL pipeline project in Kariappanalli hamlet in Dharmapuri district.

He also announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to the deceased's family.

C. Ganesan had committed suicide in protest against the GAIL project by hanging from a tree at his farmland on Wednesday.

Chief Minster Stalin, in a statement, said that the DMK government was following the footsteps of former Chief Minister and party patriarch late M. Karunanidhi whose policy towards farmers was 'a friend in need'.

The farmers are protesting against the proposed pipeline against GAIL in the Kariappanahalli hamlet and the farmers had blocked the Dharmapuri- Hoggenackal highway with the body of the deceased farmer for nearly six hours.

Farmers complained that GAIL officials jointly with the police and revenue officials had conducted surveys in farmlands that they own and the officials were taking photographs of the farm land.

Ganesan's wife C. Chinnavel told reporters that her husband was upset by the surveys that were being carried out in their farmlands and adjacent farmlands. She said that this was the only reason for his suicide and that the family was in dire straits after his passing away.

Meanwhile, former MLA of the CPI-M, C. Dillibabu said that the Chief Minister must increase the solatium amount to Rs 15 lakhs as Ganesan was the only bread winner of the family.