Chennai, August 24: Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the General Secretary of AIADMK, has urged the Tamil Nadu government, led by the DMK, to provide immediate compensation to farmers in the delta districts affected by heavy rainfall and flooding.
In a statement, Palaniswami noted that reports indicate that nearly 2,000 acres of paddy crops have been destroyed due to intense and unexpected rainfall in Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and other delta districts over the past two days. He emphasized that water is the lifeline of agriculture, with rainfall being its primary source. However, the sudden downpour has completely disrupted the lives of farmers cultivating paddy across approximately 2,000 acres.
The AIADMK leader expressed the despair of farmers witnessing their mature paddy crops submerged and ruined by rainwater. He stated that it is the government’s responsibility to provide immediate relief and safeguard the livelihoods of these farmers.
Targeting Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, Palaniswami insisted that the Chief Minister should take steps to protect the suffering farmers without delay. He highlighted that on June 12, water was not released from the Mettur Dam for Kuruvai cultivation. Consequently, many farmers resorted to borrowing money and using groundwater to grow their crops. When unseasonal rains occurred, their crops were ready for harvest, plunging them into severe financial distress.
Palaniswami also reminded the ruling coalition of their electoral promise to waive agricultural loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks. He accused the government of gradually implementing loan waivers in installments after coming to power, which has led to growing anger and frustration among farmers.
The former Chief Minister demanded that the government immediately dispatch teams of officials from the revenue and agriculture departments to assess the damage in rain-affected areas of Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and other delta districts. He insisted that these teams should conduct a thorough assessment of the losses without delay and ensure that no affected farmer is left without relief measures.
Palaniswami called for the government to provide compensation of ₹30,000 per acre to farmers whose crops have been destroyed.
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