Engineers with different backgrounds are on a bike ride across the State to create awareness among the people about issues faced by farmers and the need to support them.

The seven riders, S Kursheed Hussain, B Suresh, S Purushoth, B Andrew, B Imran, Oswal Hussein and R Raja, are all engineering graduates from Chennai. They are working for different private companies. After seeing the continuous agitation of farmers in Delhi and various other issues faced by them, the seven wanted to create awareness about the plight of farmers and so decided to go on a bike ride from October 22. They expect to conclude the trip on November 2 after covering all the districts in Tamil Nadu. The team will be visiting schools, colleges and public places.

Kursheed said, “We wanted to do what we could for our farmers. That’s why we thought of going across the State on a bike rally and create awareness. We will meet students and the public and tell them about the importance of supporting our farmers.”

The team has so far covered 900 km and passed through 12 districts.

“Organic farming has to be promoted. Just because a few leaves of spinach are bitten by some insect, it doesn’t mean it is not good. When we shy away from buying these agricultural produce, we are forcing farmers to use pesticides and that in turn results in producing vegetables and other agricultural produce with poison,” Kursheed said.

They have formed an organisation Uyir and plan to start an organic market in Chennai.

The team was in Ooty yesterday and reached Coimbatore today. They met people at Ooty bus stand in Mettupalayam Road and were received here by Covai Ilaya Thalaimurai and Coimbatore Bikers Club.

Imran said, ”We have taken care of all out expenses. We must stop bargaining with farmers.” The team, which left for Tirupur, felt agriculture should be part of school syllabus.