RAMANATHAPURAM: Though the crop damage enumeration process concluded several weeks ago, farmers across the district have alleged that they have not yet received any compensation. They have urged the state government to release drought relief at the earliest.
What began as a successive season, with paddy cultivation taken up on over 1.3 lakh hectares of farmland, ended on a sad note as inadequate irrigation led to crops getting damaged on about 60% of the total area. The enumeration process carried out by the agriculture and revenue departments earlier in January and February, revealed that more than 84,000 hectares of paddy crops got damaged due to irrigation woes.
With Chief minister MK Stalin visiting the Madurai region on Sunday and Monday, the farmers plan to request urgent measures towards releasing drought relief and compensation for the damaged crops.
Bakiyanathan, a farmers' leader from Ramanathapuram, said the farmers had spent thousands of rupees from their pockets in addition to loans for growing the crops during the Samba season. Crop damage compensation has been released for delta districts, but not yet for the farmers in Ramanathapuram.
Gavasker, an activist and farmer from Thiruvadanai area, said since the government is delaying the distribution of compensation, the farmers are unable to begin farming work for the next season.