TIRUVANNAMALAI/VELLORE: Incessant rain following the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal over the last few days has damaged crops cultivated in over 11,000 hectares , estimated to be worth around Rs 13 crore in Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts.
Of the two districts, Tiruvannamalai with 8,782 hectares of land has been more adversely affected during the last two-weeks of heavy rainfall. The preliminary assessment of the damage to the farmlands and crops in Tiruvannamalai is estimated to be approximately Rs 11 crore.
Of 8,782 hectares of farmland that were submerged from the heavy downpour, paddy was being cultivated in 3,163 hectares, millets in 30 hectares, pulses in 1,990 hectares, oil-seeds in 3,497 hectares, cotton in 71 hectares and sugarcane in 31 hectares.
Arni, Cheyyar, Vandavasi and Venpakkam Taluks were the most affected areas, said an official of the Agricultureal Department.
“The damage assessment is based on preliminary reports from field officials. We have sent the report to the government, seeking relief to the tune of Rs 11 crore,” said a senior official in the district administration of Tiruvannamalai.
In Vellore district, crops estimated to be worth Rs 2.28 crore, cultivated on over 2,238 hectares of land, was damaged. Of the 2,238 hectares, paddy was being cultivated in 1,653 hectares, pulses in 139 hectares, sugarcane in 12 hectares, oil seed in 208. Pulses and cotton that were being cultivated in 226 hectares of farmland that depended entirely on rain without any form of irrigation were destroyed.
“The damage has been estimated on preliminary reports,” said Joint Director of Agriculture Department, Vellore, R Jayasundar. However, he added that the rains have also replenished over 1,00,660 farm-wells in the district. “More than 60 per cent of the wells are full to their 100 per cent capacity which will ensure promising crop-yields in the coming seasons,” he said