Farmers, who were worried over the prospects of Samba and Thaladi paddy crop in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts following the downpour in the past few days, heaved a sigh of relief as rain subsided in the two districts on Thursday.
With paddy crop on over 18,000 hectares being inundated in the two districts, the focus has now shifted to draining the water from the fields. The downpour since Monday afternoon had caused apprehension among farmers, who had raised samba and thaladi crops amidst uncertainty over the availability of the Cauvery water for irrigation. Many farmers had taken to direct sowing.
Velankanni, Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam, Mayiladuthurai, Kollidam, and Sirkazhi, among other places, had received heavy rain over the past three days. After overnight showers, there was let up in rain on Thursday morning in most of the places. Sirkazhi and Sembanarkovil in Mayiladuthurai district recorded 3 cm of rain each in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.
“We are relieved that the rain subsided today and water started draining from the fields. We can assess the status of the crop only after water fully drains from the fields in the next couple of days,” said Cauvery Dhanapalan, President, Tamil Nadu Vivasaya Sangankalin Kootamaippu.
He, however, insisted that the officials should focus on fully clearing the weeds from rivers and drains, including the Odampokki, Kaduvaiyar, Pandavaiyar, Vellaiyaru, Mulliyaru and Harichandra river on a war footing.
Minister’s visit
On Wednesday, Minister for Law S. Reghupathy, after an inspection of the rain-hit areas, had said that 15,169 ha, including about 8,515 ha. of samba, 6,500 (ha.) of thaladi and 145 ha. of kuruvai paddy crop, had been inundated in Nagapattinam district due to rain.
Farmers in Mayiladuthurai district reported that water was draining from the fields. “The water has started draining; but farmers are in a quandary on spending money on fertilizer to revive the crop in view of the uncertainty over the availability of water for irrigation in the coming weeks,” said V. Viswanathan, district secretary, Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam, Mayiladuthurai.
Directly sown crops, which were just about one-month old, were under water at Arapallam, Mahendrapalli, Mudalaimedu, Alakudi and other places in the district, he said.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Siva V. Meyyanathan, who visited the flooded agricultural fields in Mayiladuthurai district on Thursday, said that standing crops on about 3,000 ha., including 1,088 ha in Sirkazhi, 1,200 ha. in Kollidam and 600 ha. in Sembanarkovil, were under water in the district. The rain had abated and water had started draining from the fields, he told reporters.
Thirty-nine heads of cattle have died in the district. About 150 huts and tiled houses have been damaged and due compensation would be provided to the affected people, he said.
The Minister appealed to farmers to insure their crop as the last date for payment of premium had been extended to November 22. So far, crops on 52,000 ha. had been insured against the coverage of about 68,000 ha. in the district, he added.
