Date:01/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120159740600.htm

Tamil Nadu

Paddy on 14,700 hectares submerged in Pudukottai

Staff Reporter

study: Minister of State of Environment and Forests S. Regupathy inspecting the damaged paddy in Pudukottai district. Collector Reeta Harish Thakkar, left, looks on.

PUDUKOTTAI: Standing paddy crop on a total of 14,783 hectares has been submerged following last week’s rain in various parts of the district, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, S. Regupathy, said.

The Minister, who inspected the submerged fields in coastal parts of the district, said that about 6,000 hectares in Avudaiyarkovil taluk and about 3,000 hectares in Manamelkudi taluk had been submerged.

The worst-hit villages were Keezha Manjakudi, Kodikulam, Bayamaria Nendhal, Paappanur, Nalli Vayal, Thandalai, Maandhakudi and Manamelkudi.

A survey of assessment of damage to the crop was on and steps would be taken to sanction the compensation to the farmers, he said.

On the plea for providing drainage channels at Meemisal Vijayanagar; the Fishermen Colony in Chellanendhal and Neyveli villages, he said that immediate action would be taken for the provision of the facility .

The Minister later distributed cash relief of Rs.2,000, five kg of rice, saris and dhotis to each of the 60 families whose huts and tiled houses had been damaged by the showers.

He also inspected the diversion segment at Kaarakottai near Kottaipattinam which had developed a breach, affecting the traffic on the East Coast Road; and the culvert at Manjakudi village on the Avudaiyarkovil – Kottaipattinam segment.

The Executive Engineer (South Vellar Basin), Natarajan and the Divisional Engineer, Highways, Balasubramanian, explained the extent of damage caused to the infrastructure.

Collector Reeta Harish Thakkar; MLA Udhayam Shanmugam; DRO R. Mahendravel and RDO S. Visagan accompanied the Minister.