Heavy Rains Compound Farmers' Woes in Tamil Nadu

Chennai - Heavy rainfall over the past few days has inundated samba paddy fields in Tamil Nadu's Delta districts, causing significant damage to standing crops. The districts of Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam, known as the state's rice bowl, have been particularly hard hit. Sembanarkoil in Mayiladuthurai received 68 mm of rain Tuesday, while Mayiladuthurai town got 51 mm. Nannilam in Tiruvarur district received 59 mm of rain, while Needamangalam received 47.7 mm.

Farmers report that thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed due to flooding caused by inadequate drainage and lack of proper de-silting of irrigation canals. Murugesan Perumal, a 52-year-old farmer from Thanjavur, reported that the heavy rain has flooded samba paddy fields, destroying thousands of acres of crops. He highlighted the plight of farmers, stating, "The Ottai Vaical canal, which serves as both an irrigation channel and a stormwater drain, has not been properly de-silted, leading to extensive damage." He added that approximately 500 acres of farmland connected to the Ottai Vaical canal were submerged due to vegetation overgrowth and accumulated silt.

This year's heavy monsoon rains have compounded the challenges faced by farmers who were already reeling from a 40% drop in samba paddy production in the 2023-24 season due to a deficit in the northeast monsoon. Krishnaswamy, a farmer from Kumbakonam, expressed frustration, saying, "We have been complaining about the lack of de-silting for a long time. Now, with the northeast monsoon lashing the region, the inundation has destroyed crops. If the rain continues for a few more days, the entire samba paddy crop will be wiped out."

18 lakh acres in Tamil Nadu's Delta districts are under Samba paddy cultivation. Farmer association leader M. Pandian warned of the potential for catastrophic losses if the inundation continues. "The heavy northeast monsoon has caused severe water stagnation in paddy fields. This is due to the poor maintenance of canals. If the inundation continues, the losses will be catastrophic," he stated.

(Source- IANS)