Poor desilting of SWDs caused inundation, crop damage in TN Delta region

TIRUCHY: Several thousands of acres of samba crops were submerged in rainwater due to choked stormwater drains (SWDs) in several places across the Delta region. Farmers have complained poor desilt works of the drains hampering the smooth flow of excess water from the paddy fields.

As the northeast monsoon rains continued to lash the Cauvery Delta region for the past few days, several districts received good spells of rain particularly Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur since last week.

On Tuesday, Sembanarkoil in Mayiladuthurai received 68 mm of rainfall while Mayiladuthurai town received 51 mm of rainfall. In Tiruvarur, Nannilam received 59 mm of rainfall while Needamangalam received 47.7 mm of rainfall.

Meanwhile, the rainwater inundated several districts and several thousands of acres of Samba crops were submerged in the rainwater. Farmers claimed that the water that was stagnated in their fields could not recede as the stormwater drains in the districts were not properly de-silted.

“We have been demanding for the proper desilt of Ottai Vaical that acts as an irrigation canal and stormwater drain but the officials pay no attention to our repeated pleas,” said Kannaiyan, a farmer of Koonancherry near Papanasam in Kumbakonam.

Kannnaiyan said that around 500 acres of land benefited by Ottai Vaical in Koonanchery and Thiyagasamudram villages are inundated as flow of water has been blocked due to silt and thick blanket of vegetation.

"We have approached the officials several times to ensure free flow of storm water before the monsoon but the officials failed to do so and so the crops are submerged for the past several days. If the condition prevailed for a couple of days more, the entire crops would be damaged,” Kannaiyan said and appealed to remove the vegetation and desilt the drain.