TN: Ryots wary of underwriting as crop loss evaluation begins

THANJAVUR: Farmers are pinning hopes on quick disof crop loss relief as assessment of damages caused by northeast monsoon rains and Cyclone Ditwah commenced across the Cauvery Delta districts on Wednesday.

Amid the enumeration of officials, farmers have urged the State government to treat any crop submerged for more than three consecutive days as fully damaged and extend compensation accordingly, citing inevitable decay.

Farmers said widespread heavy rain triggered by the cyclone left several lakh acres of standing samba and thalady paddy underwater. Breaches in irrigation canals further inundated fields, preventing drainage, leading to extensive crop damage.

“With crops in a tender stage, submersion beyond three days causes total damage. Yet even after 10 days, water has not receded in many places, especially in over 10 villages, including Mohanur, Ulayakunnam, Periyakottai, Puliakudi and Kanniyakurichi in Thanjavur district,” said Saminathan, Thanjavur district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

He alleged that assessment teams had skipped several affected pockets, casting aspersions that efforts are underway to minimise disbursal of crop loss aid. “Proper assessment will help farmers cope with the loss; otherwise, the entire process will only turn into an eyewash,” he added.

Farmers also said that the current criterion of declaring damage only when it exceeds 33 per cent does not reflect ground realities. They demanded that crops submerged for over three days be deemed damaged and sought compensation of at least Rs 37,000 per acre, rather than the paltry Rs 20,000 per hectare announced by the State government.

Compared to the Rs 37,000 per acre demand of farmers, the State government's announcements come to only Rs 8,000 per acre, as per conversion.