Paddy on 300 acres wilting as no water released in Third, Fourth Reaches of Manimuthar Dam, farmers complain

Paddy raised connected implicit 300 acres successful Moolaikaraipatti country is wilting rapidly arsenic nary h2o was released from the Manimuthar Dam’s Third and Fourth Reaches, the agriculturists complained during the farmers’ grievances redress conscionable held astatine the Collectorate present connected Friday.

“If h2o is not released successful the Third and the Fourth Reaches immediately, we cannot prevention the paddy,” the farmers prayed.

Raising the contented successful the meeting, husbandman Selvakumar of Moolaikkaraipatti said the agriculturists who had raised paddy successful Moolaikaraipatti country had appealed to the territory medication to merchandise h2o successful the Third and Fourth Reaches of Manimuthar Dam to prevention the lasting crop. As lone 10 cusecs of h2o was released successful these 2 Reaches, much than 30 irrigation tanks nether the Third Reach were bony adust now, leaving the paddy growers successful the lurch.

“We are haplessly witnessing the paddy wilting connected 300 acres. Since each irrigation tanks nether the First and the Second Reaches of Manimuthar Dam present person much than 80% water, District Collector should bid the merchandise of h2o successful the Third and the Fourth Reaches to prevention the wilting paddy and the farmers,” said Mr. Selvakumar.

The Public Works Department officials replied that steps would beryllium taken instantly to fill-up astatine slightest 50% h2o successful the irrigation tanks successful the Third and the Fourth Reaches.

Farmer P. Perumbadaiyar said plantain cultivated from Thirukkurungudi to Cheranmahadevi had been earnestly affected aft the farmers unknowingly applied adulterated chemic fertilizers to the crop. Upon inspecting the affected plantain, the Agriculture Department officials, who initially cited the exertion of adulterated chemic fertilizer arsenic the crushed down the tragedy, changed their stance connected the adjacent day.

“Since a bully fig of shops selling spurious chemic fertilizers are nether the power of a fewer authorities officials, peculiarly nether the power of the officials attached to the Department of Agriculture, the officials garbage to instrumentality immoderate enactment to code this superior problem,” Mr. Perumbadiayar alleged.

District Collector R. Sukumar, who was chairing the meeting, assured the farmers that Sub-Collector, Cheranmahadevi, would probe this issue.

Mr Perumbadaiyar besides said that the banana growers successful the Thirukkurungudi country were suffering a immense nonaccomplishment owed to chaotic carnal invasion, particularly by chaotic boars, which besides attacked the farmers guarding the crops.

“Even arsenic 2 farmers who injured successful chaotic boar onslaught are undergoing attraction successful the hospital, bears person besides started visiting the ranches to unleash panic among the agriculturists. Hence, the wood section should instrumentality sustained and credible steps to pursuit distant the chaotic boars and the bears,” Mr. Perumbadiayar appealed.

Addressing the meeting, Dr. Sukumar informed that paddy raised connected Tamil Nadu Government had released ₹12.79 lakh to beryllium fixed arsenic compensation for the paddy raised connected 63.97 hectare arsenic it was damaged during past northeast monsoon.

With the satisfactory retention level successful Papanasam and Manimuthar Dams, cultivation crops connected 54,302 hectares and horticultural crops connected 10,559 hectares had been raised adjacent though the territory experienced shortage rainfall successful the months of December past and January, Dr. Sukumar said.

District Revenue Officer M. Durai and Deputy Director of Kalakkad – Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve Srikant participated successful the meeting.