Plea to Central team for special package

Focus sought on water supply, revival of paddy sector

District authorities who met the Central team visiting the rain-ravaged district on Friday, demanded a special package. The package envisages focus on revival of drinking water supply network, restoration of damaged roads and houses; immediate recognition for the Alappuzha-Changanassery-Vazhoor-Theni national highway; Central aid for construction of permanent shelter homes, and a special component for assisting the devastated paddy sector.

Addressing a conference at the district collectorate on Friday, District Collector B.S. Thirumeni said the district had suffered a loss of ₹198.28 crore in the latest spell of southwest monsoon. Out of this, agriculture sector alone lost ₹92 crore.

Paddy and other crops

This includes damage in 5,437 hectares of which 4,540 hectares are paddy fields. Vegetable cultivation in 364 hectares aimed at the Onam market, 250 hectares of plantain, and 60 hectares rubber plantations have also been destroyed in addition to pepper, tapioca and other tubers, nutmeg, and 220 hectares of fish farms. Milk production in the district has plunged by 30,850 litres on account of rains.

50% of roads damaged

Roads have suffered heavy damage and nearly 50% of the roads in the low-lying areas like Aymanam, Thiruvarpu and Caikom grama panchayats were destroyed. The team was informed that 784 houses were damaged.

Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, MLA, called for a package focusing of restoration of the damaged roads, drinking water network, and residential buildings. K Suresh Kurup, MLA, sought a special component in the proposed packaged for the farm sector. C.F. Thomas, MLA, said that a special project to build the proposed Alappuzha-Theni highway via Changanassery and Vazhoor would prevent Kuttanad from getting cut off from the rest of the district during rains. District panchayat president Sunny Pampady called for focus on the rural areas.

The four-member team consisting of A.V. Dharma Reddy, Joint Secretary, Home Ministry; S.C. Meena, Joint Director, Finance Ministry; T. Thankamani, Director, Central Water Commission; and Chahat Singh, Assistant Director, Rural Development Ministry visited the flood-affected areas in Vaikom and left for Ernakulam.