Rains submerge crops in Madurai

The Minister assured to take steps to increase the storage capacity of the tank which has reached 50 per cent of its capacity after three years.

Taking stock: Minister for Cooperation Sellur K. Raju inspecting a rain-affected area near Vadipatti on Friday. Photo: S. James

Standing crops that were less than 25 days old had been completely destroyed after being immersed in one foot of water following the torrential rains that lashed the city last week, farmers of Vadipatti union have said.

Collector L. Subramanian and Minister for Cooperation Sellur K. Raju, along with officials, visited Madakulam, Vadipatti, Sholavandan, Mettuneerethan and Nachikulam on Friday to survey rain-affected areas. The Collector said Vadipatti recorded the highest amount of 110 mm rainfall last week, resulting in the crop damage.

According to Mr. Raju, 56 of the 196 tanks in the district are brimming with water following the continuous rains. “As many as 35 of them are in Vadipatti region. Though there are no reports of damage in the water channels, works have been initiated on a war footing to prevent calamities,” he said.

Sandbags placed

The Public Works Department had initiated work to place sandbags on water channels between Thanichiyam tank and C. Pudur tank and to repair damage at the channel between Vadakarai tank and Mettuneerethan.

The authorities also visited Madakulam tank. The Minister assured to take steps to increase the storage capacity of the tank which has reached 50 per cent of its capacity after three years.

A. Marichamy, member of Madakulam Kanmai Padhukappu Mempattu Kuzhu, told The Hindu that the tank was last desilted in 1993. “It used to irrigate 2,000 acres. But 1,850 acres had become housing plots with 36,000 borewells,” he said.

Facilitating permanent water storage in the tank would help recharge groundwater in the surrounding areas, Mr. Marichamy added.

The authorities inspected work being taken up to repair roads damaged in the rains. “A 5.8-km stretch between Sholavandan and Karuppatti is being repaired. An estimate of Rs.2.61 crore has been prepared to extend this road,” Mr. Raju said.

A stretch of 1.5 km of road near Thuvariman is also being repaired.

Disaster relief

The Minister visited the family of B. Ajith Kumar (15) at Ayyankottai and presented a cheque for Rs.1.5 lakh from the disaster relief fund. The boy died after the roof of his house collapsed in the rain on Tuesday.

Special representative of the Tamil Nadu government in New Delhi S.T.K. Jakkaiyan and other officials took part in the survey.