Hit by rain, TN farmers seek quick crop loss compensation
They accused agricultural officials of conducting only superficial assessments and failing to disburse relief as earlier assured by Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam.
A scene of rainwater pooling in a samba cultivation field due to heavy rains at Manalmedu district
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association on Saturday urged the State Government to immediately release comprehensive compensation after heavy rains and strong winds ravaged thousands of acres of crops across multiple districts.
In a joint statement, association president S Gunasekaran and general secretary PS Masilamani said that nearly 3.5 lakh plantation farms spread across 350 acres in Pirancheri, Melacheval, Sokkalingapuram and several neighbouring villages in Cheranmahadevi Taluk, Tirunelveli district, had collapsed in clusters, leaving farmers devastated. Association leaders inspected the affected fields on Friday and submitted a petition to the district administration.
The association said similar large-scale crop damage has been reported in Tiruchy and several other districts, where plantation farms have been flattened and sugarcane, betel leaf and maize have been severely affected. "With banana trees crashing down completely, farmers have lost an entire season's income. Each acre would have yielded nearly Rs 1 lakh income, all of which now stands wiped out," the statement of farmer leaders said.
The leaders noted that even as the South West monsoon was tapering off, the onset of the North East monsoon turned unexpectedly intense, damaging kuruvai paddy at the harvest stage and submerging young samba and thaladi crops. Harvested paddy stocks have also suffered due to rain and delays in procurement, worsening farmers' financial distress, the leaders pointed out in the statement.
They accused agricultural officials of conducting only superficial assessments and failing to disburse relief as earlier assured by Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister MRK Panneerselvam.
With fresh rains intensifying under the impact of the North East monsoon and a cyclone alert issued, the association demanded Rs 35,000 per acre for kuruvai losses and adequate compensation for samba and thaladi losses. It also urged the government to desilt drains, improve water flow and mobilise Revenue and Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (TNPWD) teams to prevent further flooding in fields.
