THANJAVUR: The heavy rains this week have led to the inundation of standing crops raised over 13,749 hectares across the state. Samba and thaladi paddy alone account for 12,741 hectares of the preliminary estimates, said Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare MRK Panneerselvam on Thursday.
Addressing media persons after inspecting paddy inundated with rainwater at Ukkadai in the district, the minister added that the officials of the agriculture, revenue and other departments are enumerating the crop inundation. The extent of damage to the crops would be known only after the rainwater recedes from the fields. Farmers whose crops have sustained 33% damage or more will be paid compensation, he added.
Giving a breakdown, the minister said 947 hectares of crops are inundated in Thanjavur district. Crops raised on 3,300 hectares in Mayiladuthurai, 7,681 hectares in Nagapattinam, 958 hectares in Tiruvarur, 822 hectares in Ramanathapuram and 500 hectares in Cuddalore are inundated with rainwater, he added.
To a question, the minister said a separate budget for agriculture is being presented since the DMK government came to power and that allocation is being made for desilting the ‘C’ and ‘D’ category canals through the agriculture engineering department. Desilting will also be undertak
en in those canals which were hitherto not covered, he added. Agriculture department officials have been instructed to enumerate regularly flooding areas and intimate the water resources department (WRD) so as to accordingly undertake desilting in ‘A’ and ‘B’ category canals, he added.
In a statement issued later in the evening, Minister Panneerselvam said that 5,908 agriculture and horticulture officers are in the field following the rains to advise farmers on ways to drain the rainwater. They would also advise on steps to be taken, including application of fertilisers and pesticides, on the crops in inundated fields once the water is drained.
Further, 1.82 lakh tonnes of urea, 39,558 tonnes of DAP, 46,268 tonnes of potash and 1.18 lakh tonnes of complex fertilisers are in stock at private shops and primary agriculture credit cooperative societies (PACCS) across the state, the minister added.