THANJAVUR: Due to heavy rains standing crops in 13,749 hectares are inundated across the state, according to preliminary reports, said Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare M R K Panneerselvam.
He was talking to media persons at Ukkadai village in Thanjavur district after inspecting the paddy crop inundated in the rainwater on Thursday.
Responding to media persons, Panneerselvam added that the officials of the Agriculture, Revenue and other departments are enumerating the crop inundation due the rains. He further added the extent of damage to the crops would be known only after the water receded from the fields. "For the crops damaged 33% or more, compensation would be paid to farmers", he added.
The minister said in Thanjavur district 947 hectares of crops are inundated. Similarly, crops in 3,300 hectares in Mayiladuthurai, 7,681 hectares in Nagapattinam, 958 hectares in Tiruvarur, 822 hectares in Ramanathapuram and 500 hectares in Cuddalore are inundated with rainwater.
Responding to a question, he said after the DMK Government came to power, a separate budget for agriculture is being presented and allocations are being made for desilting the "C" and "D" category canals through the Agriculture Engineering department. The canals which were not desilted so far will also be desilted, he added.
The minister further instructed the agriculture department officials to enumerate the regularly flooding areas and to intimate the Water Resources Department (WRD) for desilting of "A" and "B" category canals.
Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan, Thanjavur District Collector B Priyanka Pankajam, Rajya Sabha S Kalyanasundaram were present.