Assessment improper, relief inadequate, charge Delta farmers

TIRUCHY: Charging that crop damage assessment was not properly made, farmers from the Delta districts staged a roadblock protest on Monday with their damaged crops demanding a re-assessment.

After the untimely rainfall in the Delta region, around 2.10 lakh acre ready for harvest samba and thalady crops had been damaged and the farmers demanded an immediate assessment by the Agricultural department officials and speedy disbursal of compensation.

Based on their demands, the officials conducted an assessment of crop damage from Friday that lasted till Saturday and a report was submitted to the government. Based on the report, Ministers MRK Panneerselvam and R Sakkarapani visited the region and inspected the damaged crops.

However, the farmers claimed that the assessment team had skipped several affected areas. The farmers claimed that they had passed on the information to the revenue and agri officials to conduct an assessment at Orathanadu and Pattukkottai where several thousands of acres of paddy were damaged.

Since the officials had not undertaken the assessment properly, the farmers from Thanajvur who assembled at Pattukkottai-Gantharvakottai Main Road blocked the traffic movement. The farmers demanded a compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre for paddy and Rs 30,000 per acre for rain-fed crops. Similarly, the government should assist them get crop insurance claims.

On information, Orathanadu Tahsildhar Suresh visited the spot and held talks with the agitating farmers. Upon the assurance by the officials, the farmers withdrew their protest. Traffic was affected for around one hour at Pattukkottai-Gantharvakottai Main Road. Rs 20,000 per hectare relief not adequate

While Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the compensation of Rs 20,000 per hectare , the farmers from the region said that the compensation was not adequate. Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan said that the previous AIADMK government announced Rs 20,000 per hectare as compensation and the Chief Minister who was then the leader of opposition criticised the amount and demanded Rs 30,000 per hectare. “But the same amount of Rs 20,000 per hectare has been announced by the Chief Minister now and we are shocked,” he said.