Farmers seek compensation for crop loss due to pest attack, diseases

Farmers in Madurai district seek compensation for crop damage due to pest infestation, urge authorities to address grievances.

Pest infestation and diseases have affected the crops, complained the farmers in Madurai district at the farmers’ grievance redressal meeting held at the Collectorate on Friday. They sought compensation for the damage to the crops.

At the meeting presided over by Collector M.S. Sangeetha, the farmers said that they had suffered due to pest infestation and diseases affecting their crops. They urged the authorities concerned to look into their plight.

Most of the farmers said that they opposed the move of allowing the National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) as the authority to procure paddy in the State. They urged the authorities to ensure that the direct purchase centres (DPC) functioned in an efficient manner.

During the previous farmers’ grievance redressal meeting held last month, the farmers had complained about the irregularities of the functioning of the DPCs in the district and urged the authorities to monitor the functioning and take action against the irregularities.

The farmers stressed the need for the survey of the ayacut areas in the district in order to ascertain the extent of irrigation areas. They said that the survey was needed in the wake of urbanisation and development.

The farmers also urged the authorities to distribute ‘kalonji’ seeds which can be used as green manure that helps in improving soil fertility. The authorities were directed to get a taluk-wise data in order to ascertain the requirement of the farmers.

Some of the other complaints raised by the farmers at the meeting included theft of wires and other equipment from farmlands. They said that they had lodged police complaints. They also complained of water theft through motors.