TIRUCHY: With the Cauvery completely dried up and groundwater on the verge of depletion, coconut farmers in the district are facing major problems. Many trees could soon die due to the lack of irrigation.
About 3,000 farmers received drought compensation the previous year, but farmers allege many have not been paid. Keeping this in mind, coconut farmers here are urging proper action to be taken to save the trees from water scarcity. An Agriculture department official stated that about 200 hectares of dead coconut trees are currently registered under the ‘Remove and Replant’ scheme of the Coconut Development Board to be cut down for other uses and for replanting. Speaking to Express, P Ayyakannu, president of the Association for Interlinking National-South Indian Rivers, Tiruchy, said, “More than 2.5 lakh coconut trees, including 1,500 that belong to me, have been left to die because of depleted groundwater. Since a full-grown coconut tree root can be 10 to 20 feet underground, as the groundwater has gone far below those levels, the situation in the district is dire. Even coconut and palm trees planted on the Cauvery riverbed near Mayanur have dried out, which shows groundwater levels have come down severely.”
Ayyakannu said new borewells and other irrigation sources should be arranged for farmers to save the remaining coconut trees. He stated improper maintenance of canals was the major reason for the prevailing drought in the block. As many canals had not been dredged, Cauvery water did not flow properly and groundwater could not be recharged. Ayyakannu alleged though several thousands of farmers lost their coconut groves in the previous drought, the government has allotted drought relief to just 3,000 farmers.
M Periyakaruppan, in-charge, Agriculture department, said, “We have about 6,000 hectares for coconut cultivation with the Cauvery the main source of irrigation. Musiri, Thottiam and other bocks cultivate coconuts. But due to irrigation issues, several thousand coconut trees have died in the past two years. Recently we distributed Rs 1.32 crore of drought funds to 3,006 coconut farmers who lost their crop the previous year. Similarly, farmers shall be compensated by the government.”
He added that under the Coconut Development Board’s ‘Remove and Replant’ scheme, the Agriculture department is providing Rs 1,000 per dead tree for their removal. Farmers can avail of a maximum of Rs 32,000 for 32 trees. So far, about 200 hectares of dead coconut trees have been registered under this scheme. Following the cutting down of the tree, new seedlings with maintenance costs will be given to farmers.