Farmers complain of crop loss due to rainfall

RAMANATHAPURAM

Farmers from Mudukulathur block in the district and peripheries complained to the Collector that their crops had washed away in the rainfall, here on Monday at the weekly grievance redressal meeting.

Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver, who presided over the meeting, received petitions from the public.

According to the farmers representative Singarayar, at least 2500 acres of chilly and other crops, including paddy, were raised in Michaelpattinam, Ponnaganeri and other surrounding places.

They complained that on the one side the heavy rainfall had resulted in waterlogging in the fields and in some other cases, the recently desilted tanks done in 'kudimaramathu' had not been completed properly.

As a result, the water flowed from the tank into the fields and that there was no way out for it to be drained by them, they charged.

The farmers who had grown chilly said that they had spent a minimum of ₹ 25,000 per acre and expected the government to give them relief at the earliest.

The Collector also gave away relief cheques to the tune of ₹10 lakh to 11 beneficiaries who had lost their kith/kin in road accidents or suffered multiple injuries. Similarly, five differently-abled people received new two-wheelers (altered) at ₹ 3.09 lakh which could be used by them, a press release said.