Heeding ryots’ requests, re-assessment of rain-hit crops begin

TIRUCHY: Heeding repeated requests from farmers for re-assessment of damage to crops in the recent unseasonal rains, Collectors along with officials commenced the inspection of affected farmlands in their respective districts.

The unseasonal rains on February 1 and 2 had damaged harvest-ready samba crops in over 2.40 lakh acres and thalady crops in the Delta region. Farmers, who lost their crops, made repeated appeals for crop damage assessment.

Following this, the state government commenced the assessment process on February 4 and Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a compensation of Rs 20,000 per hectare.

Though Ministers MRK Panneerselvam and R Sakkarapani inspected the rain-hit crops and completed the assessment within a couple of days, farmers claimed that several affected areas were not covered. They also alleged that the assessment team failed to visit a few badly-affected areas, including, Orathanadu, Pattukottai, Nannilam and Kuttalam. They also claimed that the assessment was done in a hasty manner and demanded re-assessment. A few groups of farmers also staged a series of protests.

Hence, officials commenced the re-assessment of crop damage in the region from February 14 and the Collectors oversaw the re-assessment process in their respective districts.

On Tuesday, officials from Tiruvarur conducted the assessment at Nannilam block and Collector T Charusree inspected the work. The process continued on Thursday at Thiruthuraipoondi. A team led by Tahsildhar Malakodi and Assistant Director (Agri) Saminathan carried out the inspection. They also went to Alathampadi, Kachanam and Komal areas.

Similarly in Mayiladuthurai, officials conducted assessment at Kuthalam taluk under the supervision of Collector AP Mahabharathi.

Meanwhile on Thursday, farmers from Vedaranyam taluk in Nagapattinam district walked out of the taluk farmers grievances meeting claiming that the compensation of Rs 20,000 per hectare announced by the state was inadequate and demanded to enhance the amount to Rs 30,000. They also staged a protest with their damaged crops.

Tahsildhar Jayaseelan held talks with the farmers and promised them to pass on their request to the government following which they withdrew the protest.