Farmers allege improper disbursal of cyclone relief

As soon as the meeting, led by district Collector A Annadurai, commenced, a group of farmers led by R Sukumaran from Kakkarai came up to the officers desk and submitted a petition.

They pointed out that for the farmers who lost the coconut trees, the relief was not distributed properly. They also wanted the arrears to be paid to the sugarcane farmers who supplied sugarcane over the last two years.

A few members from the group rolled down themselves before the desk of the officials raising slogans. Later, they walked out of the meeting hall.

Speaking at the meeting the district collector A Annadurai pointed out that so far Rs 349 crore has been disbursed to 48,765 farmers for the loss of about 31 lakh coconut trees.

He said a total of 45 lakh trees have been damaged and pointed out that some beneficiaries land was in joint patta, some are living abroad.

“In many cases, the land in which the trees stand is leased out to other farmers through word of mouth and there was no documentation, for which distribution of relief was difficult,” he added.

A farmer, K Koothalingam, from Pallathur said the crops in the area are in wilting stage and need water for at least five days from the Pudupattinam canal. He said for the last three areas, the farmers in the surrounding are affected by the non-availability of water. He pleaded the release of water from Mettur dam for saving the crop in the area.

District collector replied that there was 20 per cent of deficiency in the north east monsoon this year. The PWD engineer said that the water from Grand Anaicut would be available until onWednesday evening.