Heavy rain in the past few days has resulted in breach of bunds at several places, flooding paddy fields in Kuttanad. The Agriculture Department has estimated a crop loss of ₹5 crore in the district.
As many as 16 padasekharams have been hit by breach of bunds. It will require about ₹75 lakh to rebuild the damaged bunds as per estimates. Crop loss has occurred in 1,100 hectares.
Transport Minister Thomas Chandy, who visited some of the affected ‘padasekharams’ in Kuttanad on Friday, gave instructions to officials to take up relief work.
The Agriculture Department would be asked to provide help to farmers. He said the bunds would be strengthened by using boulders.
Kuttanad package
The Minister said the Union government would be urged to revive the projects which were sought to be taken up under the Kuttanad package.
Tenders would be floated for a project worth ₹215 crore for drinking water supply to the 13 panchayats in Kuttanad soon, he said.
District Collector Veena N. Madhavan, district panchayat president G. Venugopal, and officials accompanied the Minister on the occasion.
Affected areas
The ‘padasekharams’ affected by the breach of bunds include Kattakkuzhi, Theveri, Prayatteri, Pampanam, Vettikkal, Nadayilkizhakkuvasam, Kozhikkuzhy, Madayanazhi, Palathinkal Kizhakkuvasam, Valiyathuruthu, Kanakasserry, Valiakari, Ayyanadu, Thaipparambu and Oorumveli, in the Haripad and Kuttanad Assembly constituency limits.
The 40-80-day-old crop at most places was beyond retrieval. There were also ‘padasekharams’ being readied for cultivation.
Second crop
The second crop had been taken up by many farmers who had incurred losses in the earlier crop.
