Farmers will organise a dharna in front of the Collectorate on April 25, under the aegis of the Kuttanad Vikasana Samiti,in protest against the neglect meted out to Alappuzha by the Central team that failed to visit the district to assess the damage caused by drought.
Samiti executive director Fr. Thomas Peelianickal said here on Friday that the farmers would stage a sit-in under the hot sun to highlight the issue.
He demanded that a Central team be deputed to Kuttanad to study the crop loss owing to drought and the health problems arising out of a polluted environment. The district had been declared drought-hit. Paddy crop in about 10,000 acres was destroyed in the aftermath of the drought. As the water levels in canals hit an all-time low, salt water intrusion took place, affecting the crop, he said.
The farmers were forced to harvest the crop before maturity as the stem of the plants started drying up. Discoloured and weevilled grains contained in the harvested paddy posed a big problem for farmers as the standards on paddy, stipulated for procurement, could not be met in various parts of Kuttanad.
Private millers who collect paddy from the farmers in accordance with the procurement arrangement with Supplyco had sought a higher quantity of paddy in order to make up for the deficiency in quality standards. The millers had demanded 5 kg to 30 kg of extra grain for every quintal of paddy being procured.
Canal deepening
The Central team could have been shown the substandard grain to convince the officials of the intensity of drought in the district. A proposal to deepen the canals could have been put forth for consideration of the panel.
Deepening the canals would be an effective strategy to counter drought. The project was likely to get Central aid. The initiative could be considered an alternative to the project proposals that had failed to take off as part of the Kuttanad package.
