Disburse crop damage compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre, demands EPS

TIRUCHY: Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami has asked the state government to release a crop compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre and asked to complete the crop damage assessment at the earliest.

Speaking to reporters after visiting various places across Mayiladuthurai district, Palaniswami said, the heavy rain had damaged around 1.50 lakh acre of land in the district and each farmer should have spent at least Rs 30,000 per acre for cultivation and it is apt to disburse the compensation to match the expenditure. “When Chief Minister MK Stalin was the Leader of Opposition during the AIADMK government, he insisted on providing a compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre and now, we hope, he will stick to his words,” EPS said.

Stating that he had witnessed the entire Mayiladuthurai district engulfed with water during his visit, Palaniswami said the state government should immediately send officials to assess the damage, which would only provide hope to the farmers, he said.

Charging that the people are not happy and content as referred to by the Chief Minister Stalin, EPS said the people are undergoing untold sufferings. “The people have poured out grievances to me and our party leaders would approach the district administration enlisting them to immediately address them,” he said. He charged that improper desilt works also caused damages in the canals that entered into the agricultural lands.

“People told that the ruling party people had encroached on certain places along the canals and that too was one of the problems and the government should remove the encroachment immediately,” he added.

Palaniswami also asked the state government to increase the relief fund of Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 per card holder. “It would be possible with the contribution of the state government fund along with that of the Centre,” he said.

Answering a query on why he had not met Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Chennai, EPS said, AIADMK and BJP are in alliance and as the Leader of Opposition, it is mandatory to meet the Prime Minister and I did so and it is not necessary to see the party leader (Home Minister) who was on a personal visit. It is the media that misinformed this,” he said and added that AIADMK would form a mega alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and it would be announced during the time of the election.