TENKASI/TIRUNELVELI: Around 400 acres of paddy fields at Kadayanallur in Tenkasi district and Manur in Tirunelveli district were inundated due to unseasonal rainfall that lashed the region in the past three days. Farmers who suffered heavy losses demanded compensation from the state government on Saturday.
In Kadayanallur taluk, farmers from Serndhamaram, Thirumalapuram, Kambaneri Puthukudi and Valangai Pulisamuthiram said they had to delay paddy cultivation this year owing to the late onset of northeast monsoon.
"The crops have reached harvest stage, but heavy rainfall over the last three days has completely flooded around 200 acres of paddy fields. The plants are submerged and flattened, and if water-logging persists for two more days, the paddy grains will begin to sprout," said a farmer.
They added that several among them had pledged jewellery in cooperative banks. "After all this effort, we are now left with nothing at the last stage of harvest, which is devastating," farmers said.
While they were working round the clock to drain rainwater from the fields, some of the villages received rainfall on Saturday evening as well. The farmers urged the state government to step in immediately and provide relief to affected farmers. The officials from the agriculture and revenue department visited the paddy fields.
Meanwhile, in Manur taluk of Tirunelveli district, over 200 acres of paddy crops in Pallamadai, Manur, Azhakiyapandiapuram, Keezhanatham and surrounding villages were damaged due to the rain. Some farmers from Keezhanatham said even harvested paddy bundles procured by officials were soaked in the rain. Kanniyakumari district received very heavy rainfall on Friday recording Adayamadai (128 mm), Kolipuvilai (195 mm) and Pechiparai (125 mm).