Expressing concern over the critical situation faced by the standing kuruvai crop and the poor prospects of the forthcoming samba season due to shortage of water for irrigation, representatives of farmers’ organisations of Tiruchi district on Friday called upon the State government to adequately compensate the affected farmers.

Raising the issue at the farmers’ grievances redressal meeting held here, Ayilai. Siva Suriyan, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, affiliated to the Communist Party of India, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to go by the expertise of the Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority and the Cauvery Water Management Authority. Yet the quantum of water that has been ordered to be released in the Cauvery would not be sufficient either to save the withering kuruvai crop or raise the samba crop. Hence the government should sanction a compensation of ₹35,000 an acre for the affected farmers, he demanded.

Expressing concern over the dwindling storage position at the Mettur reservoir, N. Veerasekaran, state president, Bharathiya Kisan Sangam, called for an immediate survey of the affected farmers for sanction of compensation. He suggested that scientists from the agricultural colleges and research agencies in the district be deputed to the villages to study the situation and recommend suitable alternative crops during the ensuing season.

M. P. Chinnadurai, district president of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, urged the State government to consult and take along all political parties and farmers organisations to project a strong and united voice to counter Karnataka’s stand on releasing water to Tamil Nadu. “Karnataka is doing this and Tamil Nadu should follow a similar approach,” he said and called for a State-wide protest against the upper riparian State.

P. Viswanathan, president, Tamizhaga Eri Mattrum Attru Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam, demanded sanction of compensation under the crop insurance scheme to farmers whose shallot crop had rotted during 2022-23 season in Thuraiyur taluk of the district.

R. Raja Chidambaram, state secretary, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, called upon the State government to increase the target for providing new agricultural connections under the normal category to 25,000 from 12,500 in the State during 2023-24. Otherwise, many farmers, who had been waiting for ümraniye escort long after registration, would not be able to get the connections quickly. 

In response to a complaint that banks were adjusting the financial assistance sanctioned by the State government under the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam against loan dues of the beneficiaries, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar said that banks have been strictly instructed not to do so. “We have already sent a circular; we will take steps to get the sum reverted to the beneficiary accounts if such individual cases were brought istanbul escort to our notice,” he said.

Source - https://www.thehindu.com