MADURAI: Noting that the poultry farm was not insured, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a petition seeking compensation for the damage caused to the farm during Cyclone Gaja.
The petitioners, V Muniyan and his son Sakthivel of Pudukkottai submitted that they had set up a poultry farm measuring nearly 10,500 sq ft, consisting of 10,000 fowls, in Kulathur taluk of Pudukkottai after availing a bank loan of `10 lakh.
When Cyclone Gaja hit the district on November 16, 2018, the farm’s entire shed collapsed and all 10,000 fowls died. They submitted an application before the Pudukkottai district administration seeking compensation.
However, the government counsel contended that the petitioners were running the farm for commercial purposes. Though the farm does come under the 'agricultural activity' category, the petitioners are claiming Rs 32 lakh in compensation, the counsel said. Only in cases of damage to crops, the applicants would be entitled to compensation at Rs 10,000 per acre, the counsel added.
The judge observed that the petitioners were operating the farm without even insuring the shed and the fowl. Hence, the court cannot compel the government to pay compensation, he added, and dismissed the petition.