The farmers in Tamil Nadu are a community who pray for rains in their neighbouring state as well. It바카라s an annual plea to god바카라and not exactly inspired by altruism. For, only a bountiful southwest monsoon can fill up Karnataka바카라s reservoirs along the Cauvery that feeds the sprawling rice fields eastward, across the border downstream. Today, Tamil Nadu faces its worst agriculture scenario in recent times: the rains were scantiest in 120 years when Karnataka, too, is facing a dry year. With very little Cauvery water from its riparian neighbour and even less from the skies, 2016-17 is proving to be Tamil Nadu바카라s most barren year in over a century.
There is deep worry among the ryots in the fertile belt comprising the middle districts of Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam that grow 16 lakh acres of rice. 바카라If only Karnataka reservoirs are on the brim can paddy cultivation flourish in our state,바카라 points out Mannargudi S. Ranganathan of the Cauvery Delta Farmers Association. The area needs 330 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water for a rice-growing year. 바카라A decent northeast monsoon (in November-December) ensures a good double crop. In 2016, both failed us.바카라
In fact, this year, rains did not cross even 50 tmcft. 바카라That is how bad it was,바카라 Rangananthan observes. 바카라The clayey soil permits just paddy. That rules out other short-term cash crops.바카라 The situation worsens in the tail-end areas of Nagpattinam and Thiruvarur, just before the river바카라s distributaries merge with the Bay of Bengal. This year, salinity has made farther inroads in the absence of fresh Cauvery water to soak up the farmlands.
In this battle of distress, it is the farmer who has paid the price바카라often with his life. Two-thirds of the 59 suicides reported in the state in 2016 due to failed crop has been in Nagpattinam district. The TN Farmers바카라 Union says the government initially acknowledged 17 suicides by farmers and gave each bereaved family a compensation of Rs 3 lakh. 바카라The remaining, too, did get ex-gratia바카라but without a public disclosure that they were farmer suicides,바카라 says P.R. Pandian of the union. 바카라We have to wage a long and continuous battle for farm rights.바카라
The state government says its 바카라strong바카라 track record in implementing drought relief and 바카라massive rollout바카라 of the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana have helped mitigate the impact of the disaster. 바카라A record number of 15.32 lakh farmers were enrolled in the current rabi season, covering 32.22 lakh acres so far,바카라 according to an official spokesman. 바카라The coverage of farmers and area under crop insurance in Tamil Nadu have been among the highest in the country.바카라
The farmers aren바카라t convinced. 바카라The coverage might be high and the intent might be good, but on the ground is the farmer able to get his money when a crop fails?바카라 says Pandian. 바카라Most farmers have not received even last year바카라s compensation. When it is companies바카라private and public-sector바카라that implement an insurance scheme, what is the motive? It is to increase business, collect premiums, right? They won바카라t compensate in time when the actual loss happens!바카라 He feels the scheme will be treated like motor vehicle insurance. 바카라Unless a government agency is directly involved, this will not be viewed as a service.바카라
A senior government officer suggests that the Centre should instruct at least the PSU companies to pay the crop INSurance amount within 30 days of crop-cutting experiment바카라to prove to the agent that the crop has actually failed to yield any produce. 바카라Only if the farmers get the insurance money in time can they use it for the next sowing season,바카라 he points out. 바카라The government announced drought relief totalling Rs 2,447 crore in January. By March, the amount was deposited in the bank accounts.바카라
Farmers associations have pointed out that unlike in the past, when only rice-sowing used to be hit, this year even long-term crops like coconut, banana, sugarcane have suffered바카라for, 21 of Tamil Nadu바카라s 32 districts faced a 60 per cent rain deficiency. 바카라Even rubber plantations in the south have been crippled and so has turmeric cultivation in Erode district,바카라 concedes a senior government officer. 바카라This drought has hit a wider swathe and virtually every kind of crop.바카라
For the average farmer, more than the loss of crops, what hurts is the erosion in pride over his inability to repay farm loans. 바카라Farming rides a lot on hope바카라hope for good rains at the right time and hope for a good market demand,바카라 points out Veera Pandi, a paddy farmer in Sirkali, which is also drought-hit. 바카라Once that hope crumbles, the farmer feels crushed in body and spirit. Our pride also dies.바카라
By G.C. Shekhar in Chennai
