The heavy rain that lashed the southern districts of Tamil Nadu has completely wiped out farmland in Thoothukudi district, leaving farmers high and dry.
Thousands of acres of farmland had been entirely inundated owing to the heavy-rain induced flood. While farmers were hoping for the northeast monsoon to bring adequate rain, they had not predicted that the torrential rainfall would throw their lives apart. Though heavy downpour in the past have damaged crops, this time, the extent of damage was unprecedented, they said.
According to the district administration, till December 25, of a total of 1,80,000 hectares (ha) of agricultural land in Thoothukudi district, 1,48,037 ha had been damaged in 12 blocks — Alwarthitunagari, Karungulam, Kayathar, Kovilpatti, Ottapidaram, Pudur, Sathankulam, Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Udangudi and Vilathikulam.
As many as 1,00,175 farmers have been affected. Crop-wise damage in the district is as follows — paddy on 8,506 ha; millets on 60,401 ha; pulses on 173,337 ha; oil seeds on 576 ha; and cotton on 4,177 ha.
Besides, 1,80,000 ha of agricultural land, plantation crops on 34,002 ha in ten taluks — Thoothukudi, Srivaikunatam, Tiruchendur, Sathankulam, Eral, Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Ottapidaram, Kayathar and Ettayapuram in Dindigul— had been destroyed.
Of a total of 34,002 ha of the damaged agricultural area, Ottapidaram, Pudur and Kovilpatti blocks suffered severe damage owing to the sudden overflow of water from the Tamirabharani and breakage of canals. An official of the Agricultural Department said that the damage estimates so far were arrived at using data of crop area reconciliation, that had been collected and calculated. “The remaining areas would be included in the loss and damage data,” the official noted.
P. Balakrishnan, 70, a farmer from the Srivaikuntam taluk, said he owned about six acres of paddy fields and two acres of banana fields. “As crops are to be harvested in March, it is almost completely grown. As we have spent about ₹15,000 for just preparing the land, we will face a loss of about ₹1 lakh per acre,” he added.
“Besides, we have availed of bank loans. They have to be repaid within the stipulated time too,” he added.Even as Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced a relief of about ₹17,000 per hectare, farmers said it was not enough as they had not only lost their harvest, but their houses, livestock and machinery. “We at least need about ₹40,000 per acre in relief..,” said Mr. Balakrishnan.
B. Puviraj, Thoothukudi district secretary, Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, said readying the fields for the next sowing would take at least three months, and cost close to ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per acre. “As most of the lands remain inundated, the water has to be drained first and the waste accumulated on the fields has to be cleared,” he added.Despite the district receiving more than enough rain, none of the waterbodies had been filled, owing to the growth of unwanted plants as a result of poor maintenance of the waterways. “So, once again, the farmers have to rely on the Tamirabharani be opened and fill the water bodies,” said Mr. Puviraj.
Pointing out the earlier irregularities in earmarking the damaged lands for The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), he said: “This time, the surveying works should be expedited to benefit farmers without any delay as most of them had encountered a major loss.”As per records, about 95,000 farmers are covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, which will cover an area of 1,21,964 ha. Referring to this, an official said:“We would ensure that no one misses out [on compensation]...”
