TIRUNELVELI: Assembly Speaker M Appavu submitted a petition to Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday demanding compensation for the paddy farmers, who suffered crop damage due to unseasonal rainfall in Panagudi, Radhapuram and Thisayanvilai areas.
In the petition, Appavu stated that paddy crops were completely submerged due to the rains in several regions and have even started germinating in some areas.
"While some paddy farmers in various regions of Tirunelveli district had already harvested their crops, others were yet to begin the harvest of long duration rice varieties in places including Panagudi, Kumbikulam, Perunkugi and Kottai Karunkulam villages. However, the unseasonal rainfall, which lasted around 10 days, destroyed the harvest-ready crops," he said.
Urging the officials concerned to visit paddy fields in the rain-hit areas and submit a detailed report to the state government, Appavu said, "The farmers, who had spent Rs 25,000 per acre for the cultivation, are now unable to use their crops even as hay, and hence should be provided with appropriate compensation to cover their loss." He also visited a paddy field in Radhapuram on Sunday and consoled the farmers.