Reassess crop damage, pay Rs 30,000/acre: Farmers

Ayilai Siva Suriyan, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, said that the government announcement of Rs 20,000 per acre was inadequate as the farmers had spent more than Rs 50,000 per acre before rain damaged their crops. He demanded the Collector to recommend to increase the compensation to Rs 30,000 per acre.

Meanwhile, P Ayyakannu, state president of Desiya Thennidhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam, who demanded uninterrupted supply of inputs and steps to arrest the price of fertilizer, said that members of his sangam who staged a protest demanding profitable price for farm produces, have been kept under house arrest for the past 64 days. He urged the Collector to allow them to go to Delhi and commence an indefinite strike.

Meanwhile, P Viswanathan, president of Tank and River Ayacutdars Welfare Association, said, the district administration should initiate steps to drain out water from the paddy fields. He said still several villages remain inundated and the district administration should take steps on war footing to clear the water.