Kerala - Alappuzha   

Pest attack: financial aid sought for paddy farmers

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA, FEB. 19. The Kerala Congress (Secular) will organise a fast of farmers before the Alappuzha Collectorate on February 21 demanding financial aid for the paddy farmers in Kuttanad.

Addressing a press conference here, the party leader and former Speaker, T.S. John, said that those farmers who suffered loss due to the intrusion of saline water into paddy fields and pest attack should be given assistance.

Mr. John said that though the Chief Minister visited the paddy fields in Kuttanad, which were affected by pest attack, he did not make any promise to provide financial aid to farmers.

Crop destroyed

He said that the crop in 10,000 acres in Kuttanad had been completely destroyed in the pest attack while those in another 5,000 acres were partially destroyed.

The farmers were finding it difficult to repay loans and were on the verge of committing suicide.

Mr. John demanded that those who suffered complete loss in the pest attack be given a compensation of Rs. 10,000 per acre and those who suffered partial loss be given Rs. 5,000 per acre.

He said the farmers should be given seeds and fertilizers free of cost for the next crop.

Threatens fast

Mr. John said the Government should immediately entrust the responsibility of paddy procurement to the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation.

He said he would begin an indefinite fast before the Kottayam Collectorate on February 28, if the Government failed to provide relief to farmers.

Those who took part in the press conference included the party State vice-president, S. Bhaskaran Pillai, and the Alappuzha district panchayat member, Jacob Thomas Arikupuram.

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Pest attack: financial aid sought for paddy farmers

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