PERAMBALUR: Heavy rains caused flooding in three villages -- Sirukanpur, Nathakadu and Therku Madhavi villages of Perambalur district. More than 30 houses and 400 acres of cotton and maize fields were damaged. The Village Administrative Office in Therku Madhavi was also inundated. The road leading to Nathakadu village was flooded and people found it difficult to travel at night. Residents said they had complained to the authorities concerned, but no one reportedly visited the area or took action.
The district has been receiving heavy rains in the last two days. Farmers have demanded the district administration to inspect the damaged fields and provide due compensation. Residents blamed the administration for lack of maintaining waterbodies, including Marudaiyaru, and taking mitigation steps to avoid flooding.
M Kannadasan, a resident of Therku Madhavi, said, "About 300 acres of cotton and maize in my village, including my field, got submerged in the rains. My spending of Rs 25,000 per acre has all gone waste. Officials should inspect the damage and take necessary action."
R Ajithkumar from Sirukanpur, said, "More than 30 houses and 30 acres of crops have been affected by heavy rain. Last year too, there was similar flood due to negligence of authorities. The PWD should deepen the waterbodies properly, maintain streams and build a compound wall to prevent floods in the future. Otherwise, crops in the entire village will be lost to rains."
M Manimaran, a resident of Nathakadu, said that the rains washed away the service road leading to the village. "Because of the construction of the flyover for more than a year, we have been using the service road to cross the Marudaiyaru and enter our village. But people were not able to commute on Tuesday morning as it was washed away in the rain. Besides, over 150 acres of cotton and maize were inundated."