CHENNAI/THANJAVUR: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced that a sum of Rs 13,500 per hectare will be given as compensation to farmers who have lost their standing crops in the delta districts since Karnataka failed to release Cauvery water.
In a statement here, the chief minister said, “ Standing paddy crops on around 40,000 acres have been damaged in the delta districts. The Mettur dam was opened on June 12 for irrigation but since water from Karnataka was not received later, sufficient water could not be released for irrigation.”
Just after the announcement of compensation, office-bearers of farmers’ associations said the chief minister should hike the amount since they would not be able to carry out samba cultivation since they cannot depend fully on northeast monsoon.
It may be noted that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami had demanded disbursal of Rs 35,000 per acre to all farmers who have lost their standing crops, a few days ago. Sami Natarajan, of Orathanadu and state general secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association said, “While affected farmers were demanding Rs 35,000 per acre, the government has announced only Rs 5,400 per acre, which is inadequate. The announcement says paddy crop on 40,000 acres in delta districts wilted, when the actual damage is 1.5 lakh acres. Crops in around 50,000 acres in Muthupettai, Tiruthuraipoondi and Kottur areas of Tiruvarur district were completely affected. If we take into account crop loss in Nagappattinam and Mayiladuthurai, the figure will be around 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh acres. The government should take a proper survey and compensate all farmers.”
A K R Ravichander of Ammayagarm in Thanjavur district said the affected farmers are disappointed as the compensation is meagre and also all those affected could not get compensation. P S Masilamani, from Tiruvarur and state general secretary of farmers association, “Due to release of water on June 12 and provision of Kuruvai special package by the government, more farmers cultivated Kuruvai. When Karnataka failed to release water, farmers struggled to keep their crop alive by pumping water using diesel-power motors. The government should revise the compensation.”
‘Cauvery’ V Dhanbalan, leader of Kaviri Vivasaayigal Paathukaapu Sangam said, “The announced relief of Rs 13,500 per hectare would mean only Rs 5,463 per acre, which is far less than what we demanded. When we do not have a crop insurance scheme for Kuruvai, how will this meagre amount help us?”
S Ramadoss, a farmer-representative from Thamizhaga Kaviri Vivasaayigal Sangam, said, “The erstwhile AIADMK government had hiked the relief from Rs 13,500 to Rs 20,000. We were demanding for a further hike considering inflation. However, the announced relief is much less and will not help farmers.”