Acres of harvest-ready crop submerged, ryots seek relief

Despite widespread rain in the region on Sunday the downpour was heavy and it lasted till Monday inundating several low-lying areas including Peravurani, Sengamangalam, Sethubavachathiram, Orathanadu and Kumbakonam. Several thousands of acres of paddy ready for harvest got submerged. Black gram and groundnut cultivation were also damaged in areas like Marungulam and Ballam areas in Thanjavur. 

Meanwhile, farmers in Ammapettai, where the ready for harvest samba seeds fell down and started sprouting in the rain, staged a protest demanding an assessment by agri officials and prompt compensation. 

R Senthil Kumar, CPI Union Secretary who led the protest demanded the district administration to depute a team of officials to conduct crop damage assessment and recommend prompt compensation. 

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Vivasaigal Sangam Thanjavur district secretary submitted a petition with the Collector M Govinda Rao and urged to order for an assessment. 

Rain claims one life 

M Thulasiammal (85) of Sethubavachathiram who was residing in a thatched house was sleeping close to the wall. Due to continuous rain, the wall was completely soaked and at around 8 pm on Sunday it suddenly collapsed and fell on the senior citizen who was crushed to death on the spot.