About 7,500 hectares of paddy fields still inundated
TIRUCHI
The decrease in the intensity of rain over the past couple of days has helped farmers drain stagnant rainwater from paddy fields in various parts of Tiruvarur district, according to the Agriculture Department.
The spell of rain over the past week had left samba and thaladi paddy crops inundated on about 16,500 hectares a couple of days ago. “As of Sunday, about 7,500 hectares of paddy crop in different parts of the district is still inundated. However, the rain has subsided over the past few days and in the absence of flow in the rivers and canals, the stagnant water from the paddy fields is draining now. But we have to watch and wait,” a senior official of the Agriculture Department told The Hindu.
While the inundated samba paddy crop was about 40 days old, the thaladi crop was very young. The samba crop at this stage may survive the inundation for four or five days, but the 10-15 day old thaladi crop can manage only for two or three days. However, the extent of damage could be assessed properly only after the water drained, the official said. Samba/thaladi crop had been raised on about 1.23 lakh hectares in the district so far against the anticipated coverage of 1.47 lakh hectares.
The department has currently undertaken an enumeration of the damage to the kuruvai crop. The crop on about 2,500 hectares, which were ready for harvest, had suffered damages due to the earlier spell of rain in the district.
The rain in the district was moderate on Saturday night. During the 24-hour period till Sunday morning, Muthupettai (22.7mm) Tiruvarur (18.6), Kudavasal (18.2), Nannilam (13.2) and Thiruthuraipoondi (7.4) received moderate rainfall, helping the cause of the farmers.
The Public Works Department has launched a drive to clear the drainage channels of weeds so as to facilitate drainage of water from the fields. On Sunday, weed growth on drains in and around Thiruthuraipoondi was cleared using men and machines.
The Valavanar channel, which serves as a drain for Thiruthuraipoondi, Singalanthi, Kattimedu, Pandi, Ekkal Kunnalur, Idumbavanam, Thottiyakadu and Karpaganatharkulam and other villages was being cleared of weeds, said Murugavel, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Vennar Basin Division, in a statement.
An official release from the district administration cautioned people against taking bath in rivers and other water courses. “Most of the water courses in the district have filled to 90% of their capacities,” Collector B.Gayatri Krishnan said in a statement. She urged people living on the banks of the rivers and water courses to move to safer locations at times of floods and advised the public to stock up essential supplies required at least for a week.
Nagapattinam Collector A.Arun Thamburaj citing the weather forecast told fishermen not to venture into the sea and those who have already gone for fishing to return before October 9.
Meanwhile, several parts of Tiruchi, Pudukottai and Karur districts received heavy to moderate overnight rainfall. Viralimalai in Pudukottai received 92 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday. The chief amount of the rainfall recorded in other parts of the central region during the same period (in mm): Pudukottai district – Alangudi 74, Kudimiyanmalai 63.80, Illupur 56.20, Meemisal 51.40, Manamelkudi 51, Ponnamaravathi 47.20, Adhanakottai 41,Keeranur 40.20, Gandharavakottai 39, Aranthangi 32 and Thirumayam 30.80; Tiruchi district – Musiri 87, Navalurkottapattu 72, Manapparai 68.60, Kovilpatti 62.20, Vathalai Anicut 60, Samayapuram 57.60, Marungapuri 50.40, Tiruchi Town 38, Ponnaniyar Dam 33.80 and Lalgudi 30; Karur district – Panchapatti 72, Krishnarayapuram, Kulithalai and Thogamalai 70 each; Mylampatti 66, Palaviduthi 57.4, Mayanur 54, and Karur 51.
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