The Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Federation has called upon Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to ensure that the Central Government which deputes teams ‘conventionally’ to rain-ravaged areas in the State earmarks full quantum of relief to mitigate the sufferings of farmers in areas that faced the fury of a cyclone and torrential rains this northeast monsoon.
K.V. Elangeeran, president of the federation, said it had been the conventional practice on the part of the Centre to send a team to the rain-hit State to make a survey.
“What has been seen and experienced all along was that the quantum of relief the Centre earmarks is far less than what the State government seeks. The woes of farmers are sidelined and the Centre goes by the rule book framed several years ago instead of taking a practical assessment of the damages,” he said. Mr. Elangeeran said the rains had caused extensive damage to the agricultural sector in Cuddalore district as standing crops raised on more than 2 lakh hectares had been submerged.
“The ryots had borrowed loans to cultivate and raise the crop. The rains have shattered the efforts of the farmers and hence a complete assessment and full relief should be available to them,” he said.
The visit by the Central team should not be a mere formality but should practically help the suffering farmers. The team should have representatives of farmers’ outfits, including those from other States, so that a practical assessment could be made, he said. The Chief Minister was claiming to be hailing from a farmer’s family and he should, therefore, pressure the Centre to get full relief instead of ‘peanuts’ which would be of no use to the suffering ryots, he added.
