Chennai: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday urged the Tamil Nadu government to declare Cauvery delta districts as drought hit and announce a financial aid for affected farmers.
"Cauvery delta districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam should be declared drought hit," party's State Secretary R Mutharasan said in a statement.
He said the state and Central governments should come forward to provide a financial aid of Rs 30,000 per acre for farmers and Rs 25,000 for families of agriculture labourers.
He said the farmers were "deeply shocked" as they could not even raise a single Samba paddy crop as also Kuruvai crop. Ryots and farm hands were facing 'unprecedented distress'.
Mutharasan said the continuing deaths of farmers allegedly due to crop failure were a matter deep concern.
"Central and state governments have a duty and responsibility to prevent such deaths," he said.
On November 3, a farmer of Tiruvarur district reportedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide. The next day another farmer from the same district collapsed suddenly when he was inspecting his farm and died.
Villagers staged a road roko and demanded that a solatium be paid to his family. The man had gone for direct sowing of paddy and was distressed over crop failure.
