RAMANATHAPURAM: Hundreds of farmers associated with the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association staged a protest and rally near the Ramanathapuram District Collectorate on Friday, pressing various demands, including drought relief.
The protesters alleged that paddy, chilli, millets and other crops suffered severe damage due to drought in several parts of the district.
Though officials from the Revenue and Agriculture departments assessed crop damage and submitted reports to the district administration and the government, farmers enrolled under the crop insurance scheme had yet to receive compensation, they said.
State deputy secretary of the association T Kannan alleged that farmers had been waiting for crop insurance payouts for the past three years. Despite repeatedly raising the issue at farmers' grievance meetings, officials only assured them that proposals had been sent and compensation would be released soon, he said. Questioning the delay, Kannan said insurance claims were settled within a few months when industrial or corporate entities suffered losses, while farmers were made to wait for years.
The protesters said the agitation would continue until the government gave a firm assurance on releasing the pending crop insurance compensation and addressing drought-related losses.
