THANJAVUR
The Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam has expressed apprehensions that the standing samba paddy crop in the delta could be affected by Gall Midge pest attack in view of stagnation of rainwater in the fields after the recent spell of rainfall.
The association general secretary P.R.Pandian said that the paddy crop which was at the flowering stage was likely to get affected by Gall midge pest attack. If left unchecked, farmers would incur yield loss of three to 70%. Hence, the State government should come out with suitable measures to save the crop from getting affected by the pests, he added. He also urged the State government to initiate steps on a war footing to clear the clogged drainage channels to ensure the the rainwater could be drained quickly from the paddy fields.
Demanding that crop insurance compensation should be disbursed to the farmers who have suffered crop loss, Mr.Pandian said that a rally to the State Secretariat would be organised by the Sangam on December 17 urging the government to commence the paddy procurement from January 1.
He also urged the Tamil Nadu government to ban acquisition of agriculture lands by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in delta villages such as Aadhividangam in Tiruvarur district for exploration of oil.
Earlier, floral tributes were paid to ‘Nel’ Jayaraman on his first death anniversary. Recalling the efforts made by him in reviving and preserving traditional paddy varieties, Mr. Pandian called upon the State government to use the traditional paddy varieties in anganwadis and government hospitals.
Tiruvarur
Meanwhile, the Traditional Paddy Protection Centre, set up by ‘Nel’ Jayaraman’s family in association with CREATE, an NGO, at Aadhirengam hamlet near Thiruthuraipoondi, was inaugurated on Friday.
The centre, where the traditional paddy varieties produced by the farmers from all over the State would be preserved, would also serve as a seed paddy distribution centre, according to the Centre Coordinator, Rajiv.
