ARIYALUR: Farmers in Sendurai are pained to see their fruits of labour rot in the open at the DPC in Kuzhumur near the town. A large portion of paddy, covered with torn sacks and tarpaulin sheets, was damaged in rain.
Paddy was cultivated in 5000 acres in Kuzhumur Nallanayakapuram, Kiliyappattu, Sittudaiyar, Periyakurichi, Thalavai, Ayanthathanur, Vanichinapuram and Nakkambadi villages. Over 3000 sacks of harvest was brought to the DPC at Kuzhumur.
Farmers accused DPC officials of not taking efforts to store paddy in a safe manner and that damaged tarpaulin sheets were used to cover it. Around 300 sacks were damaged in the rain that lashed the region last week, they alleged.
S Manirathnam, a farmer, said, "The DPC is very small, and there are not enough tarpaulins and sacks. Officials cover paddy with whatever they have. How effective will this be?."
Further, farmers complained about slow and reduced procurement. P Amutha Kannan, a farmer in Kuzhumur said, "At least 1500 acres was cultivated in Kuzhumur alone. It is difficult to sell paddy at the DPC because officials are delaying the process. We have to wait for five to ten days to sell paddy. Until then we sleep on the road to protect the produce.".
DMK's Sendurai Union Secretary M Gnanamoorthy said, "Paddy is recklessly dumped on the ground. To protect this, a cement floor should be laid on two acres in Kumuzhur." The party announced a protest in front of the DPC on August 18. District Collector and Agricultural dept officials did not respond to calls from TNIE.