The United Democratic Front (UDF) district committee will take out a march and lay a dawn-to-dusk siege to the Wayanad Collectorate here on Wednesday raising a slew of demands, including waiver of farm loans.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday UDF district chairman P.P.A. Kareem and convener N.D. Appachan said the farming community in the district was in distress after the deluge that had led to a huge crop loss and the outbreak of various plant diseases, especially those affecting coffee, plantain, pepper, and areca nut.
The district had received 68% excess rainfall this year compared with last year , he said. More than 75% of the pepper vines were affected by quick-wilt disease. Close to 50% of coffee berries were affected by black rot, a fungal disease, and berry droppings due to nutrient deficiency after heavy rain, Mr. Kareem said.
Ginger planted on hundreds of acres of land was also destroyed. The ‘nendran’ variety of plantains on 3,025 ha and areca nut on 4,000 ha were destroyed in the rain. Nearly 40% of farmers could not take up paddy cultivation in time owing to floods, Mr. Kareem added.
Compensation
But the government was yet to provide proper compensation to farmers, instead disbursing a meagre amount to a small number of farmers, he said. Hence the government should write off the loans of farmers and provide them interest-free long-term agriculture loans to rejuvenate the agricultural sector, he said.
Rehabilitation measures
The post-flood rehabilitation measures in the district were a total failure as many families who had lost lost their houses in the natural calamity were yet to get the compensation package announced by the government, Mr. Appachan said adding that it should be disbursed immediately.
As many as 722 houses were destroyed in the floods and landslip as well as a huge number of houses were damaged partially, Mr. Appachan said.
E.T. Muhammed Basheer, MP, will inaugurate the march at 10 a.m. on the day.