Farmers demand early disbursal of crop loss insurance benefits

Farmers demand crop loss insurance benefits, fishermen seek release of detained boats, and various petitions submitted in Thoothukudi.

Demanding the immediate disbursal of crop loss insurance benefits, farmers affiliated to Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate and submitted a petition to Collector G. Lakshmipathy on Monday.

 The petitioners said the agriculturists across the district suffered huge crop loss due to the mid-December downpour and consequent floods last year. Even though the farmers had paid the premium for the crop insurance before the deadline, the insurance firm is yet to pay the crop loss insurance benefits.

 “Hence, the district administration should take stringent measures against the insurance firm for not distributing the insurance benefits to the farmers. Moreover, the Tamil Nadu Government, instead of relying upon a private insurance company for crop insurance, should start its own insurance company for the benefit of farmers,” they said.

 Apart from the common petition, the farmers, who are yet to receive the insurance benefits, submitted separate petitions also.

 All-India Vivasayigal Sangam deputy secretary T. Ravindran, district president Raghavan, district secretary P. Bhuviraj, CPI (M) district secretary K.P. Arumugam and Thoothukudi city secretary M.S. Muthu were present.

Members of ‘Naam Thamizhar Katchi’, led by Thoothukudi central district secretary V. Velraj submitted a petition seeking immediate action to release the two mechanised boats detained by the Sri Lankan navy with 22 fishermen on last Monday.

Even though the fishermen were fishing within Indian territorial waters, they had been detained by the “intruding” Sri Lankan navy. Hence, the Centre should exert pressure on the island nation to ensure the safe and early release of the detained boats and the fishermen, they said.