Delta farmers’ SOS to government for crop compensation

They want the Centre and state governments to declare the Delta districts as drought hit and permit the farmers to commit suicide due to crop failure. 

Pandemonium prevailed in the hall following this protest by the farmers. They lamented that tail-end areas of the Delta have not yet received adequate Cauvery water to commence paddy cultivation. 

The frustrated farmers resorted to the novel protest to highlight their plight before the officials by distributing bricks as sweets. They demanded the constitution of Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and rolled on the floor seeking permission from the district administration to commit suicide. They brought sleeping pills too along with them. 

“Never in the history of Tiruchy district, turn irrigation system was implemented. Usually it was done in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam downstream. Due to such unprecedented system in the district nearly 2 lakh acres of fertile land was uncultivated during the samba season,” Puliyur Nagarajan, TMC farmers wing president said. “The rains too deceived the farmers,” he added. 

The average rainfall in the district in the month of October was 735.70 mm, so far the district had received only 530.51 mm leading to a deficit of 27 per cent in the monthly average, said the Agriculture department officials. 

Stating that such adverse conditions would only impact the yield of samba crops cultivated here, farmers sought the district administration to recommend the state and Central governments to declare Tiruchy and Delta districts as drought hit.

District secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam Ayilai Siva Suriyan said “Centre and state should disburse Rs 30,000 as compensation for the Delta farmers and Rs 20,000 to the agricultural labourers as the farmers were not sure of a good monsoon this year.” He added “Though the Mettur dam was opened on September 20 for irrigation, there was not adequate flow in the Cauvery river for cultivation to be taken up in full swing.”