Farmers seek compensation as water shortage threatens second paddy crop
The Kisan Sabha district committee will stage a sit-in protest in front of the Collectorate here on Thursday, demanding compensation and government support
Farmers in Palakkad are grappling with the loss of their second paddy crop due to a water shortage, exacerbating their financial struggles as payments for last season's paddy remain outstanding. The Kisan Sabha district committee is planning a sit-in protest outside the Collectorate on Thursday, seeking compensation and government assistance.
The lack of rainfall, attributed to the El Nino phenomenon, has lowered water levels in the Malampuzha and Parambikulam-Aliyar dams, essential for paddy farming. With scant water availability, some farmers may abandon the second crop entirely. This shortage could also impact other crops, diminishing overall farm income. Kisan Sabha district president K. Ramachandran and secretary Manikandan Pottassery stated that the protest will advocate for a special agricultural package for Palakkad, compensation for small and marginal farmers unable to grow paddy, and an increase in the paddy procurement price to ₹40 per kilogram.
Additionally, they are pushing for the immediate commencement of first crop season procurement. Many farmers have yet to receive payments for paddy from the previous second crop season, and the Kisan Sabha demands all outstanding dues be settled within a week. Another demand is the exclusion of farmland and residential areas from the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) list, affecting 14 villages in Palakkad district.
Kisan Sabha State general secretary K.M. Dinakaran and CPI district secretary Sumalatha Mohandas will kick off the protest, with leaders from various affiliated organizations addressing the crowd.
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