The Central team, deputed to assess the rain damages in the State, inspected the extent of damage caused to crops in the Cauvery delta districts on Tuesday.
The team, led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajiv Sharma,visited various parts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts for a first-hand account of the crop damages during the day.
Officials in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur told the team that over 20,000 hectares of paddy crop had been affected in the recent rain in the two districts.The team inspected the flood-affected agriculture fields at Kavanoor and Kovilvenni in Tiruvarur district and at Ammapettai in Thanjavur district.
Detailing the damages caused to the standing crop, the Collectors of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts, Dinesh Ponraj Oliver and P.Gayathri Krishnan, pointed out that paddy crop on 2,396 hectares in Thanjavur and 18,460 hectares in Tiruvarur had suffered damage.
The team was accompanied by Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Revenue Administration K. Phanindra Reddy.
Nagapattinam
At Nagapattinam, the team inspected submerged paddy fields at Erunsalai hamlet in Papa Kovil Panchayat and interacted with the farmers affected by the heavy rainfall.
The team was also shown photographs of the destruction caused to samba and kuruvai crops on 5,917.28 hectares in Nagapattinam, Kilvelur, Thirukuvalai, and Vedaranyam blocks.
Apprising the team of the total damages, Collector A.Arun Thamburaj said 18 houses were completely damaged and 808 houses were partially damaged in the Northeast monsoon rainfall. Two women died and seven women suffered injuries due to the impact. Twenty-nine heads of cattle and 157 goats perished in the rain, the Collector said.
Mayiladuthurai
Earlier, the Central team assessed the crop damages at Tirumayiladi in Mayiladuthurai district.
Collector R. Lalitha told the team that the heavy rainfall had caused destruction to paddy crop on 5,423 hectares, affecting 5,645 farmers.
The team members also interacted with affected farmers and representatives of farmers’ organisations, who appealed for sufficient compensation.
