EPS urges DMK govt to compensate farmers in rain-affected areas

CHENNAI: AIADMK General Secretary and former chief minister Eddappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday urged the DMK government to provide adequate compensation for crop loss due to summer rains in two districts of the State.

Pointing out that it was reported that farmers have incurred huge loss due to summer rains and thunderstorms, which had damaged their cultivated crops, the AIADMK leader said that more several crops, including banana and sugarcane trees in than 20 villages at Kurinjipadi constituency in Cuddalore district covering 1,000 acres were completely damaged due to summer rains.

"Similarly, farmers in several villages in Virudhachalam constituency at Cuddalore districts have sustained huge loss by the sudden summer rains and thunderstorms," he claimed "likewise, in surrounding areas Sathankulam Taluk at Tuticorin district, more than 15,000 drumstick trees were uprooted by the thunderstorms".

Stating that Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam has inspected only one rain affected area, the leader of the opposition alleged when the locals have asked to inspect all the rain affected regions and compensate accordingly, the minister, instead of heeding to the request, allegedly threatened a person, which has shocked the farmers.

Claiming that more than several varieties of crops in over 2,000 acres in Cuddalore district have been damaged besides crop loss in Tuticorin region, Palaniswami urged the State government to immediately send the revenue and agriculture authorities to the damaged areas for assessment so that farmers were compensated adequately.