Nagapattinam: After a brief lull, farmers in the district have resumed their agitation seeking compensation for the loss of Samba crop in the wake of drought-like conditions.
Large number of members of farmers wings of DMK and CPI-M formed a human chain in Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam towns last evening to protest absence of any concrete announcement about the compensation in the Governor`s Address to the Assembly yesterday.
The protesters demanded Rs 25,000 per acre as compensation.
DMDK Mayiladuthurai MLA A R Arulselvan led a mock funeral procession in his constituency today. He alleged that due to delay in announcement of compensation, the farmers were being put to great sufferings.
The farmers in this region had been organising various agitations, including rallies, since the first week of last month pressing for compensation but halted their stir after the visit of a high-level team led by Finance Minister O Panneerselvam to assess the drought situation in the delta districts.
"The situation this year is alarming... Total failure of Kuruvai (short term) and Samba (long term) paddy crops is something we have not witnessed in recentyears," said Arupathy Kalyanam, General Secretary of the Federation of Farmers Associations of Delta Districts.
Farmers were facing the double blow of loss of crops and debt, he said.
