THOOTHUKUDI: Strong winds that swept through Srivaikuntam for over an hour around 4 pm on Monday damaged several acres of banana plantations and uprooted a number of trees and electricity poles in certain areas of Srivaikuntam town panchayat, Adichanallur and Vellur panchayats.
Several farmers claimed that many banana plants, bearing fruits and ripe for harvest by June, have been damaged and demanded that the government provide compensation.
Numerous banana plantations in Vellur, Navaladiyoor Ponangkurichi, Puthukudi, Marthandanagar, Muthal Karai, Athinathapuram, Karaiyadiyur and Malavarayanatham have been flattened due to the strong winds. A few farmers have cultivated paddy in the region as well. According to sources, the gale uprooted many trees and damaged electricity poles, because of which, there was a day-long blackout in the region.
Ilayaraja, a farmer, claimed that government officials have not yet visited the affected areas, besides a VAO assessing the damage at a few places. The farmers have suffered a huge financial loss, which the government has to compensate for, he added.
Several farmers complained that officials from the district administration, including the Srivaikuntam tahsildar, have not yet visited the affected areas. An official from the district administration said the total area of crop damage can be identified only after a complete assessment. VAOs have initiated a survey, he added.
Banana is the major crop cultivated in the Srivaikuntam region and the produce is exported to Chennai and several places in Kerala.