THOOTHUKUDI: Cooperative credit societies have so far extended a total of Rs 263.5 crore agricultural loan to 22,562 farmers, including Rs 194.28 crore towards 16,554 small and marginal farmers, across the district during the 2024-25 fiscal, said collector K Elambahavath during the agriculture grievance redressal meeting at the collectorate on Thursday.
During the meeting, several farmers said they are unable to recover from the losses incurred during the floods in December 2023, which have impeded the cultivation. One farmer from Karungulam claimed that realtors have been converting farmland into residential plots.
Ayacut farmers attached to Arumugamangalam of north canal and those from Kadambakulam and Authoor tank of south tank demanded permission to cultivate kar paddy in advance, citing the water level in Manimutharu dam, which is at 85 ft compared to its depth of 118 ft.
The farmers said as per the lower riparian right, they are entitled to advance kar paddy cultivation when the dam water level is below 80 ft.
Meanwhile, one Tamilmani, a farmer, appealed to the collector to release the jewellery pledged with the Kurumbur primary agriculture cooperative society, which was caught in a Rs 27-crore scam during the 2020-21 fiscal.
The officials of the society involved in the scam, including the president, secretary and deputy secretary, were suspended.
Objecting to the construction of a building on a parcel of land, allegedly located in the basin of the Thamirabarani river near Rajapathy village, several farmers sought action against Tangedco staff who had recently provided power connection to the building and to stop the construction immediately.
Former officials from the department had earlier objected to providing power connection to the building, claiming the structure has been located in a river basin, sources said.
Later during the meeting, the collector said the district has so far received a total of 124.31 mm of rainfall this year.
District revenue officer Ravichandran, agriculture joint director Periyasamy, Thamirabarani river basin executive engineer Vasanthi and other officials were present.