Declare Delta disaster-hit, urge farmers hit by untimely rains

TIRUCHY: The rains continued to lash the delta region for the second day on Friday and the farmers urged the government to declare the Delta districts a disaster-hit region as the untimely rains damaged the paddy crops.

According to the Delta farmers, 12.40 lakh acres of samba and thaladi were cultivated in the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts and the harvest has been underway in the region for the past few days but the unexpected rains affected the harvest.

While the rains that commenced on Wednesday late hours had damaged the ready-for-harvest crops in the region, the Meteorological department has predicted the rains would continue for two more days and the farmers fear the crops would submerge if rains continue as the rainwater has pooled in almost all the fields.

“The farmers have lost yield worth Rs 50,000 and input loss and the stock of fodder which could be stored for one year for their cattle. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had already alerted that untimely rains may bring disaster and this has been witnessed now and the farmers have been sitting fingers-crossed,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

He also said the government should immediately send a team of officials and assess the damage and release the compensation within 30 days so that the loss would be managed by the farmers. Similarly, the Centre should fix 23 per cent of moisture condition instead of 19 per cent which would help the farmers who are waiting with their harvested paddy in the DPCs, he said.

Meanwhile, PR Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All farmers Association said all farmers have insured their crops and harvest has been over in only 20 per cent of areas and the remaining crops are feared to be damaged due to the uncertain rainfall. “Chief Minister MK Stalin should initiate steps to get compensation to all the affected farmers,” he said.