Kuruvai crisis: Officials inspect Delta farmlands

TIRUCHY: In a major step, responding to repeated SOS calls from farmers in the Delta region, agriculture officials inspected the Kuruvai fields to assess the crop damage in various central districts on Wednesday.

The kuruvai crop was facing a serious threat due to water shortage and weak monsoon. Following this, the State government deputed agricultural officers to inspect the farmlands and submit a report to provide compensation.

Accordingly, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Secretary C Samayamoorthy visited Thanjavur along with Collector Deepak Jacob and inspected the kuruvai and samba crops.

They visited Thanjavur, Orathanadu, and Thiruvonam unions in the district where the cultivation has been made with the help of river water. The officials also interacted with the farmers and inquired about the water requirement and schedule for alternate cultivation.

While in Tiruvarur, the Agriculture Commissioner Subramanian along with the Collector T Charusree inspected the kuruvai and samba cultivation in Vadapathimangalam, Puluthi Gudi, Pandi, Kallikudi and Nedumbalam villages in the district and assessed the damage.

Similarly, in Nagapattinam, Agriculture Marketing and Agri Business Director Dr S Natarajan along with the District Collector Johny Tom Varghese visited the Keezhavelur, Thalainayar, Keezhaiyur and Vedaranyam blocks and inspected the kuruvai crops that had dried up due to the water shortage.

In Mayiladuthurai, the Tamil Nadu Sugar Directorate Additional Commissioner T Anbalagan along with the district Collector AP Mahabharathi visited Dharmadhanapuram, Kanniyakadu and Sooraikadu in Sirkazhi union and interacted with the farmers.