Tiruchy farmers in tears as 750 acres go under water

TIRUCHY:  Even though the water release from Mettur dam has reduced, several places, particularly farmlands along the banks of the Cauvery, remain inundated. With nearly 750 acres of  paddy and banana cultivation suffering inundation for at least four days, farmers are staring at losses, officials said. Such crops will be considered damaged if the water level doesn’t recede by Monday, they added.  

The inflow at the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) rising to as much as 2.17 lakh cusec over the past few days led to a surge in flow in both the Cauvery and the Kollidam, resulting in inundation in flood-prone areas. 
Close to 500 acres of paddy fields in Lalgudi suffered inundation, agriculture department sources said. Around 250 acres of banana cultivation in Thottiyam and Andanallur suffered a similar plight, horticulture department said. 

Kuruvai paddy cultivation in Lalgudi had just commenced. If the water drains in a day or two, the losses would only be half the estimate, officials said. Affected farmers told TNIE they are expecting crop damage relief from the State government.  Assessing the situation, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare MRK Panneerselvam on Saturday announced rain damage relief for affected farmers.