Chennai, Dec 24 Demanding immediate compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre for farmers affected by Cyclone Ditwah, Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran on Wednesday accused the ruling DMK government of showing apathy towards distressed farmers in the delta region by delaying relief measures for weeks after the disaster.
In a strongly worded statement, Nainar said farmers across several delta districts suffered extensive crop losses due to heavy rain and strong winds triggered by the cyclone, but were yet to receive any form of compensation from the state government.
He alleged that the prolonged delay in announcing relief had pushed many farmers into acute financial hardship, exposing what he described as the government’s indifference towards the agrarian community.
The BJP leader pointed out that large quantities of harvested paddy were destroyed after being left exposed to unseasonal rain.
He blamed the losses on poor infrastructure at government-run paddy storage facilities and the state’s failure to ensure timely procurement.
According to him, several tonnes of harvested paddy had sprouted due to prolonged exposure, rendering the produce unusable and wiping out months of labour put in by farmers.
Taking aim at Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Nainar criticised what he called a lack of direct engagement with affected farmers.
He alleged that instead of visiting damaged fields and interacting with farmers on the ground, the Chief Minister confined himself to reviewing crop samples brought in parcels. Such symbolic gestures, he said, did not reflect the seriousness of the crisis unfolding in the delta.
Nainar further noted that despite official inspections being conducted soon after the cyclone, the DMK government had failed to announce a compensation package that matched the scale of losses suffered by farmers.
“Conducting reviews and then dragging its feet on relief is unjust and unacceptable,” he said, urging the state government to act without further delay. \
The Tirunelveli MLA also criticised the Chief Minister’s public statements, remarking that slogans and claims alone would not alleviate farmers’ suffering.
“Rather than repeatedly projecting himself as a ‘deltakkaran’, the Chief Minister must prove it through action by announcing Rs 30,000 per acre as compensation and ensuring immediate disbursal of relief,” Nainar said.
Reiterating the BJP’s demand, he called upon the state government to take urgent steps to provide financial support, speed up procurement, and restore confidence among farmers reeling under losses caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
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