NAGAPATTINAM: Farmers in the district, who are already grappling with issues from the lack of availability of Mettur water for irrigation, are now fighting debts as the compensation announced by the state government for crop damage during kuruvai season has not reached them even after four months.
The state government had on October 5, 2023 announced a relief of Rs 13,500 per hectare from the state disaster management funds for kuruvai paddy damaged by the lack of availability of Cauvery water. According to the agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, kuruvai paddy over about 31,000 acres of the total acreage of 61,000 acres it was raised in in the district suffered damage in the drought-like conditions.
It may be noted that owing to high groundwater salinity, about 80% of the paddy cultivation – be it kuruvai, thaladi or samba -- in the district is dependent on Cauvery water for irrigation. Against this backdrop, an official survey on kuruvai crop loss has left about 27,000 farmers in the district expecting a total of Rs 16.9 crore in compensation.
P Kamal Ram, the district secretary of Tamil Nadu Kaviri Vivasaayigal Sangam, said, “It has been four months since the announcement [of crop damage relief] but we are yet to receive the amount. Farmers are having a tough time with samba and thaladi cultivation as well due to lack of water for irrigation.
We request the government to release the relief to ease our financial burden.” R Sekar (60), a farmer from Segal in Thirumarugal block, said, "I lost kuruvai paddy cultivated over about four acres to the drought. As kuruvai crop is not covered under crop insurance either, it has been a struggle to pay back the loan I availed of from the primary agricultural cooperative credit society."
K Amanulla Khan (49) of Thalaignayiru said, "I lost about 2.5 acres of kuruvai cultivation and am finding it hard to save my samba crop as well. I am in debt as I am unable to recover the investment for kuruvai. We hope to get the kuruvai crop damage relief soon to ease our struggles." When enquired, agriculture department sources said that farmers would receive the compensation amount in their bank account soon.
"The collector has written to the government for a third time in the past few months to sanction the relief amount. It is pending approval from the Commissionerate of Revenue Administration," an official said.