Will take steps to add black gram to notified list, ensuring compensation for 70% disease-hit crops: Tiruchy Collector

TIRUCHY: Responding to complaints raised by farmers who are worried over compensation for more than 70 per cent of black gram crops across Tiruchy district infected by yellow mosaic virus, as the crop is not in the notified gram list, the district Collector assured to initiate steps to ensure appropriate recommendation is made to set right the issue at the earliest.

Farmers got some hope at the grievances redressal meet held in Tiruchy on Friday as the Tiruchy district Collector M Pradeep Kumar assured of taking necessary action. Farmers raised concerns about the damage caused to the summer crops due to various factors and demanded that the officials visit the spots and conduct a field study to prevent further damage.

According to N Veerasekaran, state secretary of Bharathiya Kisan Sangam’s Tamil Nadu unit, the black gram has been widely cultivated in Tiruchy, roughly around 50,000 acres. More than 70 per cent of the crops were affected by the yellow mosaic disease, which damages the crop in the fruiting stage, he said, seeking compensation, enlisting it as a notified gram under the Revenue Department as well as the village revenue records. “The district administration should initiate steps to notify the crop for facilitating the compensation”, Veerasekaran urged the government.

Ayilai Siva Sooriyan, state executive committee member of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, seconded it. He added that the farmers cultivated the black gram seed varieties of Vamban 8 and 10 that were distributed by the Agriculture Department, but almost the entire crop had been damaged by the yellow mosaic disease in the flowering stage. “As black gram has not so far been notified by the Revenue Department, the farmers could not insure the crops for compensation. So, the district administration should support the farmers by initiating the process to notify them and add the crop to the list,” Siva Sooriyan said.

Similar complaints were raised by the farmer leaders like P Viswanathan, KC Palanisamy, M Senthil Kumar and a few others.

Responding to the farmers, the district Collector M Pradeep Kumar said that the Agriculture Department officials would visit the spots and initiate possible steps for compensation. “Initially, steps would be taken to add the back gram to the list of notified list, which would ensure insurance of the crops and pave the way for recommending compensation”, the Collector said.