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

Paddy raised on over 300 acres in Moolaikaraipatti area is wilting rapidly as no water was released from the Manimuthar Dam’s Third and Fourth Reaches, the agriculturists complained during the farmers’ grievances redress meet held at the Collectorate here on Friday.

“If water is not released in the Third and the Fourth Reaches immediately, we cannot save the paddy,” the farmers prayed.

Raising the issue in the meeting, farmer Selvakumar of Moolaikkaraipatti said the agriculturists who had raised paddy in Moolaikaraipatti area had appealed to the district administration to release water in the Third and Fourth Reaches of Manimuthar Dam to save the standing crop. As only 10 cusecs of water was released in these two Reaches, more than 30 irrigation tanks under the Third Reach were bone dry now, leaving the paddy growers in the lurch.

“We are haplessly witnessing the paddy wilting on 300 acres. Since all irrigation tanks under the First and the Second Reaches of Manimuthar Dam now have more than 80% water, District Collector should order the release of water in the Third and the Fourth Reaches to save the wilting paddy and the farmers,” said Mr. Selvakumar.

The Public Works Department officials replied that steps would be taken immediately to fill-up at least 50% water in the irrigation tanks in the Third and the Fourth Reaches.

Farmers raising their grievance at farmers grievance day meeting held on Friday.
| Photo Credit:
A. SHAIKMOHIDEEN

Farmer P. Perumbadaiyar said plantain cultivated from Thirukkurungudi to Cheranmahadevi had been seriously affected after the farmers unknowingly applied adulterated chemical fertilizers to the crop. Upon inspecting the affected plantain, the Agriculture Department officials, who initially cited the application of adulterated chemical fertilizer as the reason behind the tragedy, changed their stance on the next day.

“Since a good number of shops selling spurious chemical fertilizers are under the control of a few government officials, particularly under the control of the officials attached to the Department of Agriculture, the officials refuse to take any action to address this serious 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 also said that the banana growers in the Thirukkurungudi area were suffering a huge loss due to wild animal invasion, especially by wild boars, which also attacked the farmers guarding the crops.

“Even as two farmers who injured in wild boar attack are undergoing treatment in the hospital, bears have also started visiting the ranches to unleash panic among the agriculturists. Hence, the forest department should take sustained and credible steps to chase away the wild boars and the bears,” Mr. Perumbadiayar appealed.

Addressing the meeting, Dr. Sukumar informed that paddy raised on Tamil Nadu Government had released ₹12.79 lakh to be given as compensation for the paddy raised on 63.97 hectare as it was damaged during last northeast monsoon.

With the satisfactory storage level in Papanasam and Manimuthar Dams, agricultural crops on 54,302 hectares and horticultural crops on 10,559 hectares had been raised even though the district experienced deficit rainfall in the months of December last and January, Dr. Sukumar said.

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