The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) has called on the Tamil Nadu government to urgently conduct a comprehensive survey to assess the crop damage caused by recent heavy rainfall across multiple districts. CPM State Secretary P. Shanmugam highlighted the severe impact of continuous rainfall, which has flooded low-lying areas and devastated standing crops, causing heavy financial losses to farmers.
The worst-affected include thousands of acres of kuruvai paddy in Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukottai, and Cuddalore districts, where harvesting was hindered by waterlogging. The upcoming samba cultivation is also at risk due to submerged fields.
Other crops such as pearl millet, tapioca, maize, bananas, and flowers have sustained significant damage.
The CPM urged the state government to promptly order a detailed crop damage enumeration and ensure fair compensation to affected farmers, reassuring them of administrative support during this crisis.
Furthermore, the party criticized the Union government for delaying approval to procure paddy with higher moisture content (up to 22%), a request made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in light of persistent rains.
This delay is seen as exacerbating hardships for thousands of farmers. Additionally, the CPM has called for emergency arrangements to protect procured paddy bags from rain damage, advocating for adequate and permanent storage facilities. Compensation should also cover paddy bags damaged during procurement.
