Kuttanad farmers in distress; UDF delegation takes stock of crop loss

Alappuzha (Ker), Apr 12 (PTI): A day after a paddy farmer ended his life over crop loss in heavy summer rains, a delegation of opposition Congress-led UDF on Tuesday visited the Upper Kuttanad region here to meet the peasants and take stock of the damage.

The Upper Kuttanad region, comprising parts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts, witnessed heavy waterlogging and widespread damage of crops in the recent rains.

The delegation, led by Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan and KPCC chief K Sudhakaran, later lashed out at the LDF government in Kerala saying that they were completely ignoring the issues and concerns of farmers and no action was being taken to protect them despite giving assurance in the Assembly.

The government is busy going ahead to implement the semi-high speed rail corridor project spending 2.5 lakh crore rupees but have no money to provide assistance to the hapless farmers, they alleged.

These farmers have found money for cultivation by taking loans for exorbitant interest and pledging their gold ornaments, Satheesan told reporters here.

Only very few people could enroll in the crop insurance scheme, launched by the government and those who have already joined are getting only a meagre amount in this regard, he added.

''No single project has been implemented in Kuttanad by this government including the Rs 2000 crore worth programme announced by former finance minister T M Thomas Isaac. What Kuttanad needs is a comprehensive package in view of climate change,'' Satheesan said.

Even thickly populated areas were flooded and Kuttanad people were forced to flee from their homes but the ruling CPI(M) and its government were taking their issues in a light manner, he further alleged.

Charging that the Left government was blindly going ahead with the semi high-speed rail project without considering the impact of climate change in the state, he also said they could understand the seriousness of the phenomenon if they look into the changes happening in Kuttanad region alone.

The UDF delegation urged the government to procure the damaged paddy from the distressed farmers and give money to support them.

They also ensured the farmers all support in the fight for their rights and to raise their issues once again in the Assembly to find a proactive solution.

A 49-year old paddy farmer, who was upset over the huge crop loss in summer showers, was found hanging from a tree near his field at Niranam in Pathanamthitta district on Monday. Once known as the 'rice bowl of Kerala', the Kuttanad region is generally divided into two regions- Upper Kuttanad and Lower Kuttanad.