Rains hit farmers in Tamil Nadu

After a remarkable season last year,the errant,but incessant,showers brought in by the northeast monsoon have this time inundated about a fourth of Tamil Nadu’s rice bowl,besides causing loss of lives,livelihood and material.

The downstream areas of Cauvery Delta region,especially in and around Nagapattinam,have been marooned by the recent spate of rains that became stronger in the last few days. “Farmers there have been affected by several factors. They sowed late because water did not reach the area on time,the irrigation channels and floodwater drains are poorly maintained and,to add to this,there has been a sudden spurt in the monsoon in the past week or so,” said S Ranganathan,a seasoned farmer and secretary of Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association. Areas upstream escaped the fury of the monsoon as the crop there is over 70 days old,he said,adding that the canals there are also in a better state.

The delta,spread across six or more districts,covers a total area of over 14 lakh acres and produces most of the state’s rice. “Of this,nearly four lakh acres in Nagapattinam,Cuddalore and nearby areas have been affected by the rains. However,the actual impact of this inundation can be calculated only after the floodwaters recede,” he said.

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Across the state,even while the rainfall recorded this season remained ‘normal’,the heavy showers resulted in the death of as many as 103 persons in rain-related incidents. On Monday,the state government announced immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh each for the families of the deceased and instructed district authorities to take measures on a war footing.

Local sources said the last season was especially beneficial for the farmers in the region,registering a bumper crop surpassing records of the past few decades.