8 Nagapattinam farmers die in 24 hrs
Wilting crops, mounting debt and uncertain future are the cause, say kin; toll touches 27 in district
Published: 01st January 2017 01:14 AM | Last Updated: 01st January 2017 02:13 AM | A+A A-
NAGAPATTINAM : Deaths triggered by crop failure continued to mount, with seven farmers dying in the district in the last 24 hours.
In Vedaranyam, two farmers, P Ganapathy (74) and A Gokulavasan (72) died on Friday night. Ganapathy hails from Chinnadev-ankaadu in Panjanathikulam West and had cultivated samba crop on three acres. As the water level was low in a nearby channel, he was finding it difficult to irrigate his land. Though the crop grew moderately, weeds crippled the growth of paddy. Meanwhile, the land lost its wetness and turned unarable. Despite this, Ganapathy applied herbicide in a desperate attempt to save the crop but in vain.
He then employed agricultural workers to de-weed. While overseeing de-weeding work, he fainted and was treated in a private hospital. He passed away on Friday evening.
Gokulavasan from Panjanathikulam Nadusethi village died at his home on Friday due to a cardiac arrest. A retired postman, Gokulavasan cultivated Samba on four acres and was anguished due to wilted crops. With the demise of these two, the death toll of farmers from Vedaranyam reached 10.
In Kadambangudi near Keezhvelue Nagore, farmer K Veeramani (30) collapsed at his land on December 29 morning. His wife and a few locals took him to Thiruvarur Medical College Hospital where Veeramani was undergoing treatment. However, he died on Friday. It may be noted that Veeramani had undergone a heart valve surgery at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai a couple of years ago.
In Kadambara Vaazhkai of Nagapattinam block, R Saroja (57) suffered chest pain while she was at her home on Friday evening and was rushed to a nearby clinic where she was declared brought dead. Saroja was said to be in upset state as the crops cultivated in her two acre land turned pale.
Similarly at Koothapparthooppu of Thirumarugal block, Thirumavalavan (47) has reportedly fainted and died at his five acre farm on Saturday where the samba crops are on the verge of wilting. In Pudukadai village of Thirumarugal, Pakkirisamy was reportedly found unconscious on Saturday . At Mayiladuthurai, farmer Raj Kumar (50) died due to chest pain when he was working on his five acre land.
