OPS and EPS demand relief for Delta farmers hit by rains

CHENNAI: Former chief minister and AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and ousted party leader O Panneerselvam on Saturday urged the DMK government to immediately take relief measures for the farmers in the Delta region, who were severely affected by rains.

In a statement, Palaniswami claimed that various food grains, including paddy, which was cultivated on about two lakh acres, were damaged due to heavy rain. "In addition, the harvested food grains, which were kept to be transported to the procurement centres, have also drenched in the rains", he added.

Stating that the officials should be immediately deployed to access the damage caused by rain in the Delta region, Palaniswami demanded compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre to each farmer, affected by sudden downpour.

He said that while procuring the food grains, the government should not neglect the damaged ones and that should also be purchased.

Pointing out that even in 2021-2021, the harvested crops, which were kept in the procurement centres were damaged due to rains, he said Palaniswami said: "Therefore, the government strengthen the centres by taking all safety measures to protect the food grains in future".

OPS too demands 30,000 compensation per acre

Demanding to compensate Rs 30,000 per acre each to the Delta farmers for the damaged crops, in a separate statement, Panneerselvam said: "It is the duty of the state government to provide relief for the farmers, especially during natural disasters".

Claiming that due to a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, heavy rains have occurred for the last four days in the Delta region, he said due to the downpour cultivated crops in several lakh acres were damaged due to flood. "Samba crops, which were cultivated in over 1.3 lakh acres were also damaged due to rain,” he said adding "due to damage of crops, harvest was done only in 20,000 acres".

Paneerselvam said that farmers were not able to dry their harvested crops since rain lashed continuously in Delta areas and therefore, the government should also compensate the crop loss.

"When Chief Minister M K Stalin was then Opposition leader, he demanded the state government to provide financial assistance of Rs 30,000 per acre to the farmers,” he said adding "farmers community were expecting adequate compensation from government".