1.5 lakh acres of Crops Swamped by Rainwater in Tamil Nadu

In the delta districts of Tamil Nadu, 1.5 lakh acres of standing crop was swamped by the rainwater. A meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, to review the rain situation across the state, was held at the secretariat. The CM constituted a team of ministers to assess the crop losses in delta districts. 

The members of this team are – I Periyasamy, Thangam Thennarasu, KR Periyakaruppan, S Reghupathy, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, and Siva V Meyyanathan. 

The CM also telephonically spoke to the IAS officers who have been appointed as monitoring officers of 38 delta districts in the state and discussed the rain and flood situation. 

The team has been directed by the CM to take immediate steps to provide relief assistance to the people affected by the rains and ensure the overall basic amenities like – food, medicare, and the relief assistance given to the people in relief camps. 

Agricultural Minister MRK Panneerselvam, while addressing a press conference at the secretariat, said – “Samba cultivation was going on in 44 lakh acres in delta districts, of which around 1.45 lakh acres of standing crops have been inundated by rainwater.” 

“Rainwater has started draining in many places now. The assessment of damages caused to the crops will be known once the survey is over. Relief assistance will be given to the farmers who have lost standing crops above 33 percent. Similarly, 31.76 lakh acres of horticultural crops have been cultivated. Of this, water inundated 6,000 acres of crops” – he added. 

Cauvery Delta Zone (CDZ) lies in the eastern part of Tamil Nadu and has a total geographical land area of 14.47 lakh ha. It is bounded by the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Palk straight on the south, Trichy district on the west, Perambalur, Ariyalur districts on the North West, Cuddalore district on the north Puddukkottai district on the southwest. The erstwhile Thanjavur district (comprised Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam) occupies 57 percent of CDZ followed by Trichy Ariyalur, Cuddalore and Pudukkottai districts. 

Rice is the principal crop in this zone. The cropping system is either single cropped or double-cropped. Pulses like black gram and Bengal gram are the next important crop and are grown throughout the delta region from January onwards.  Vegetables like brinjal, chilies, and greens are grown during the summer months in a limited area in the well-drained fertile lands depending upon the underground water source. In light clay loamy soils under the garden, the land condition is brought out where crops like groundnut, maize, gingelly (sesame), and irrigated pulses are altered. 

Banana, sugarcane, and ornamentals like jasmine, rose, chrysanthemum, Cassandra and arali are the annuals occupying the land for more than one year for the successive returns. Coconut gardens, bamboo, and wood lots are scattered in the delta in different densities. Mango, jack, citrus, guava, pomegranate, custard, apple, etc. are the more prevalent fruit trees in addition to cashew in specific pockets. Gingelly (sesame) is sown in April in the fields subsequent to the summer showers.