Farmers from the double crop region in Madurai district have appealed for water supply in the Periyar Main Canal for at least two more wettings to save their samba paddy crop.
Speaking at the monthly farmers’ grievance redressal meeting here on Tuesday, the farmers said they were at the risk of losing the crop despite investing a considerable amount of money and efforts if water supply was not ensured.
M. Tirupathi, a farmer from Kulamangalam, said that Public Works Department (PWD) was obliged to provide water to double crop region till February so that the farmers received good yield.
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“Owing to mismanagement in the distribution of water, we are at this situation where uncertainty is looming over the paddy cultivation in the double crop regions,” he alleged.
Responding to the requests from farmers, T. Subramanian, Executive Engineer, Periyar - Vaigai Basin Circle, PWD, said that the department understood its responsibility to ensure water for roughly 60,000 acre of double crop regions in Madurai and Theni districts and also to keep water for the drinking water needs.
“We are not in a position to assure the number of days we will be able to provide water. However, we will try our best to release as much water as possible to the farmers,” he added.
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Irregularities in the functioning of Direct Procurement Centres, and non-conduct of elections to many cooperative societies were other issues that dominated the grievance redressal meeting.
N. Palanichamy, president, Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Farmers’ Association, alleged that officials and middlemen were working in connivance at the DPCs because of which farmers were not able to sell their produce.
“For many farmers who managed to sell, the amount has not been paid yet,” he claimed.
R. Gunalan, District Revenue Officer, assured to discuss the issue with Collector and explore the possibility of forming a committee to monitor the functioning of DPCs.
On the non-conduct of elections, a senior official from the Cooperative Department said that elections to 40 societies were stopped due to potential law and order problems.
“However, a committee has been constituted by the court, which is working to see the possibility of conducting elections to these societies,” he said.