Crops across 5k acres have sustained more than 33% damage, says official

TIRUCHY: The harvest season has turned out to be a sad one for farmers across Delta districts, with incessant rain destroying acres of harvest-ready Samba paddy. District Collector S Sivarasu, along with Revenue officials, inspected the damaged crop on Friday, following a protest by farmers alleging inaction.  According to sources, paddy was raised on 43,000 hectares in Tiruchy.

A major portion of the crops planted in the earlier phase were ready for harvest. Despite farmers’ best efforts, the rain led to massive crop damage. According to an official from the Agriculture Department, primary reports said crops on more than 5,000 acres had sustained more than 33 per cent damage owing to the rain. A special team has been formed to start ground-level inspection in the district. 

“Both the delta and non-delta regions have witnessed massive damage. As more rain has been forecast, the damage is likely to increase,” the official pointed out. Speaking to TNIE, Sugumar, a farmer from Lalgudi, said, “Even if the rain stops today, it will take us days to pump out stagnant water from the fields and begin harvesting the paddy. If the showers continue, the crops will be gone.”

The farmers have urged the district administration to start evaluating the loss and take steps to provide them compensation at the earliest. On Friday, alleging that none of the officials from the Revenue Department arrived to check the spoiled crops even after a petition was submitted, farmers from Olayur village in Manikandam staged a protest. Sivarasu inspected damaged fields at Sirugamani.

Mamundi lake breaches
Thanjavur: The Mamundi lake in Athinampattu village near Thanjavur breached due to heavy rain on Friday, inundating crops in about hundred acres. The breach was later plugged using sandbags. Rains in the past few days have filled to brim several lakes in the district.

2 die in wall collapse
Thanjavur: A mother and daughter were found dead under the debris after the wall of a house collapsed on them. In the rains that continued on Friday, the house wall of one Anthonysamy (48), a farmer at North Street of Veerakurichy, collapsed on the house of his brother Varaprasadam (50) . In this, Varaprasadam’s house collapsed on his wife Mary (45) and daughter Nivedha (18). 

Ryots demand Rs 40K relief
Ariyalur: Farmers staged a protest in the fields demanding inspection of affected crops and due compensation, on Friday. About 2,000 acres of harvest-ready paddy cultivated in Pillaiyarpalayam village, including cotton, maize and sugarcane suffered huge damage due to the rains. Though authorities were informed about this, no inspection was done yet, farmers alleged. 

74,000 acres of crop loss assessed
Pudukkottai: Damage to paddy crop on 74,000 acres in Pudukkottai, owing to incessant rain, has been assessed. While damage on 50,000 acres were assessed earlier, an additional 24,000 acres has now been assessed. This year, Pudukkottai has received more rainfall than in the past five years. Health Minister C Vijayabaskar has inspected the lakes in the district. 

NE monsoon may cease by Jan 19 
Chennai: The extended Northeast monsoon is finally coming to an end. The regional meteorological centre said conditions were becoming favourable for cessation of monsoon rains around January 19. The unseasonal rains in January have been causing havoc in Delta and Southern districts inflicting heavy crop loss and flooding in low lying areas.