Tamil Nadu - Tuticorin   

Widespread rain in Tuticorin district

— Photo: N. Rajesh

Wet spell: Tuticorin experienced heavy rain on Wednesday.

Tuticorin: The district experienced widespread rains on Tuesday night.

Heavy rain was experienced for a couple of hours on Wednesday followed by drizzles.

The rain will be beneficial to farmers as they can carry out preliminary activities for the approaching Pisanam season.

Low lying areas were inundated and the movement of traffic was affected in many parts of the town. Fishing operations continued as usual as there was no specific warning from officials.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, S. Veluchami, Joint Director, Agriculture, said that farmers had started preparing nursery for the pisanam season as the scattered rainfall showed healthy signs for paddy cultivation. “We are focusing on the System of Rice Intensification method and the farmers have also started sowing rain-fed crops in Vilathikulam, Ottapidaram and Kovilpatti. A total of 2,000 demonstration plots of the SRI method intensification were allocated to Tirunelveli” Mr. Veluchami said.

Officials of the Department of Agriculture have distributed 710 tonnes of certified paddy seeds to farmers in various parts of the district at a subsidised rate of Rs.7 per kg.

Sufficient stock of seeds and DAP fertilizers was also available in the district.

About 77,000 hectares would be brought under paddy cultivation for pisanam season this year.

In a bid to meet the requirements of farmers, an exclusive cell (control room), was opened on November 1 at the office of the Joint Director (Agriculture) here to guide and give technical inputs to farmers. The farmers may also contact 0461 – 2572514 to get suggestions.

A maximum rainfall of 19 mm was recorded in Tiruchendur.

Following are the chief amounts of rainfall recorded (in mm) in various stations of the district: Kulasekarapattinam – 16; Vilathikulam – 16; Tuticorin – 15.4; Kadalkudi – 5; Ettayapuram – 5.7 mm; Kayathar – 11; Ottapidaram – 3; Vanchchi Maniyachi – 13; Keelaarasaradi – 5; Sathankulam – 7 and Srivaikuntam – 2.

A house in Tiruchendur was reportedly damaged.

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