THOOTHUKUDI
Seeking compensation for the rain-fed crops destroyed by the recent downpour in the northern parts of the district, over 500 affected farmers came to the Collectorate with the rotten crops to submit petition during the weekly grievances redressal meet held on Monday.
Collector K. Senthil Raj assured the aggrieved agriculturists that a due survey was being taken to give adequate compensation to the affected farmers.
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After the northern parts of the district were hit hard by the rain induced by Cyclone Burevi, the recent unseasonal rains triggered rot in the standing crops that include green gram, black gram, corn, maize, pearl millet, chilli, onion and cotton cultivated on over 1.50 lakh acres in Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Ottapidaaram, Ettaiyapuram, Pudur and Vilaathikulam taluks.
As water stagnation in the fields prevented the farmers from harvesting the crops on time, the matured crops have now started germinating and rotting after the recent rains. Carrying the rotten crops in their hands, a few hundred farmers, led by O.A. Narayanasamy, tried to enter the Collectorate forcing the police to close down the main entrance.
After Additional Collector (Revenue) Vishnu Chandran held talks with the farmers, their representatives were allowed to submit the petition with the Collector.
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Mr. Narayanasamy told Dr. Senthil Raj that the recent rains had damaged crops on 1.57 lakh acres in Kovilpatti, Kayathar, Ottapidaaram, Ettaiyapuram, Pudur and Vilaathikulam taluks even as the farmers had spent over ₹ 30,000 per acre for raising the crops.
“When the rain started during the onset of the northeast monsoon, we believed that we would get ₹ 20,000 per acre as profit this year. However, the latest rains have dashed all our hopes, leaving the farmers in tears. Besides waiving the crop loans, the farmers should be given the compensation of ₹ 30,000 per acre. Else the farmers will be left at the mercy of moneylenders,” Mr. Narayanasamy said.
Dr. Senthil Raj said the survey on crop damage was going on and hence the proposal to the government seeking due compensation would be submitted shortly.
Accepting the promise, the protesting farmers left the spot.
The Collector, while speaking to reporters, said black gram on 60,000 acres, green gram on 20,000 acres and corn on 40,000 acres had been cultivated in the northern parts of the district while horticultural crops such as maize, chilli and cotton had been raised on over 30,000 acres.
“Even as the crops were ready for harvest, the unseasonal rains played the spoilsport to cause extensive damage to the crops. Survey on crop damage has been under way so as to get due compensation from the government to bail out the affected farmers. We’ll cover all affected farmers,” Dr. Senthil Raj assured.
The Collector also informed that the paddy growers who had suffered crop loss in the recent Tamirabharani flood would also get adequate compensation as the survey was on to assess the crop damage.
Tirunelveli
Seeking the compensation of ₹ 30,000 per acre for the rain-fed crops that suffered extensive damage in the recent rains even as the crops were ready for harvest, a group of farmers from Manur union submitted petition during the weekly grievances redressal meet held at the Collectorate on Monday.
The farmers, led by Abraham of Kanarpatti near Manur, submitted the petition carrying the geminated crops in their hands.
The petitioner farmers said the recent rains that led to water stagnation in the black gram, green gram and Chinese potato (‘siru kizhangu’) fields, the agriculturists who had cultivated these crops on over 1,000 acres in Manur union, had suffered extensive loss as the recent rains. Even as the crops were ready for harvest before ‘Pongal’, the stagnant water prevented the growers from harvesting it. Consequently, the crops germinated.
Collector V. Vishnu at a function held earlier said the survey on crop damage by the agriculture and public work departments in all affected areas would be completed within next 10 days. The district had suffered extensive damage though there was no fatality due to this second worst flood the district faced after the infamous 1992 floods.