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Vardah damaged crops worth Rs 500 crore in five districts
Preliminary survey by the state agriculture department have revealed that agricultural and horticultural crops worth Rs500 crores were devastated by the cyclone which swept over Vellore, Tiruvanamalai, Krishnagiri, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts for just a day.
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Chennai
“The initial survey is expected to be completed by Saturday (today). The process is a time-consuming one as officials are estimating the damage field by field” officials added.
Agricultural crops damaged include paddy, sugar cane and coconut while affected horticultural crops include banana and mango especially in Tiruvanamalai and Tiruvallur districts. Farmer M Kalaiarasu of Kannamangalam in Tiruvanamalai said he had lost Rs10 lakhs worth banana in over 6 acres. “We did not expect the cyclone to wreak such a great havoc in the interior areas,” he said.
Many smaller farmers would be wiped out financially if the government did not chip in to provide emergency assistance,” he added. A top official said average yield of paddy in Tiruvallur district might be affected up to 70 per cent as the affected crop was in the flowering stage. “The rice ear heads were all blown away by heavy winds. This could lead to considerable drop in yields in affected areas,” he added.
Once the initial survey is completed, details would be handed over to the revenue department which would undertake a detailed survey which would take more time but which is necessary for the government to decide if compensation for farmers is called for. Farmers in Krishnagiri said ‘we did not anticipate to feel the effect of the cyclone so deep in the interior and hence were caught totally unawares.”
“Damage is mostly to horticultural crops” they added. According to the initial estimate about 25, 000 acres of agricultural crops and another 6000 acres horticultural crop were affected, according to agriculture department officials.
Two farmers die due to crop failure
Two farmers died in separate incidents in Thanjavur and Nagapattinam due to crop failure on Friday. with this, the death toll in delta district has risen to 24.
Sources said, Aravind (29) of Pulimathur in Tiruvaiyaru undertook samba cultivation in an area of 13 acres. Since there was no water, the crops started to wither and so Aravind was in a depressed state. All of a sudden, he consumed pesticide on Thursday and was taken ill. Soon he was rushed to the Thanjsavur Medical College hospital but he succumbed on Friday despite treatment. Similarly, in Nagapattinam, a farmer Saminathan (52) of Thirumarugal went to the field on Friday and saw the entire crop was in a withering state and within a shortwhile, Saminathan fell on the ground unconscious. Soon he was rushed to the hospital but he was pronounced brought dead. He died due to cariac arrest. With this there are 24 farmers died in the entire delta for the past two months due to water scarcity.
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