The Hindu : Kerala News : Crop loss of Rs.6.56 crore in Pathanamthitta

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Crop loss of Rs.6.56 crore in Pathanamthitta

Staff Reporter

Official survey finds 1,914 aggrieved farmers in the district

Photo: Leju Kamal

Bleak prospects: A farm worker watching the mechanised harvesting in progress at a paddy field in Peringara panchayat in Thiruvalla taluk. —

PATHANAMTHITTA: The Agriculture and Revenue departments have estimated the crop loss in the heavy rain in the district during the past two weeks at Rs.6.56 crore. The estimates say 1,914 farmers have lost their crops.

The official survey says damage to crops was the heaviest in the limits of Pulikeezhu, Pandalam and Kulanada blocks.

Paddy crop on 1,046.16 hectares of land in Upper Kuttanad and elsewhere was lost. The estimated damage is Rs. 6.08 crore.

The destruction of betel crop on 0.228 hectares led to a loss of Rs. 57,000; 21,000 plantains in full bloom, to Rs. 36.75 lakh; and vegetables on 25 hectares, to Rs. 10 lakh, an official statement said.

The Principal Agriculture Officer said steps had been taken to pay compensation to the farmers who had lost their crop.

Plea for relief

The Karshaka Congress district committee here called upon the State government to provide emergency relief to all farmers who had lost their crops.

In a statement here on Sunday, its State secretary, Thaikoottatil Zakeer, said the organisation would stage a dharna in front of the Collectorate on Wednesday to press its demands.

Mr. Zakeer alleged that the authorities were tight-lipped on giving compensation to those who had lost crops other than paddy.

The Karshaka Congress district committee meeting here on Saturday demanded that the government pay compensation of not less than Rs. 10,000 a hectare to each aggrieved farmer.

District committee president Abraham Kodinji presided.

Abraham George Pachayil, District Congress Committee general secretary, spoke at the meeting.

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