THOOTHUKUDI: Claiming that farmers in Kovilpatti have incurred a loss of Rs 50,000/acre during the floods in December, last year, a group of farmers have urged the district administration to provide them with insurance relief. Led by a Congress functionary, the farmers staged a protest with their heads covered to highlight their plight.
The protesters submitted a petition to Kovilpatti RDO Jane Christy, and said that harvest-ready crops in Kayathar, Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Ettayapuram, and Ottapidaram taluks were damaged in the floods. Crops like green gram, black gram, maize, chilly, cumbu, onion, paddy and banana plantations were totally submerged, incurring farmers losses of at least Rs 50,000 per acre, said the petitioners.
Ayyalusamy, vice president of the Thoothukudi Congress north district unit, said that the district administration must secure the release of insurance claims for the financial year 2023-24 for the damaged crops in Kovilpatti region. The state should also remove the cap on granting compensation, added Ayyalusamy.
Alleging that the state has provided compensation for a maximum of five acres, farmers said the normal land-holding in the region ranges from 20 acres to 100 acres. "The government must remove the ceiling. Many farmers who had leased several acres were also affected," he pointed out. The farmers further alleged that crops were damaged especially in Kadambur, Chidambarapuram, Kuppanapuram, Kapulingampatti, Thirumalapuram, Nochikulam, Vadaku Vandanam, Theku Vandanam, Kodangal, Mumalaipatti, Ottudanpatti in Kayathar taluk. "But, the district administration has been indifferent to Kovilpatti region since an AIADMK MLA represents the assembly constituency," said Ayyalusamy.