Rains threaten to worsen Thenmaradchi farmers' woes

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 October 2004, 17:06 GMT]
Majority of paddy fields in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district cannot be cultivated during the forthcoming season as several channels located inside the high security zones are blocked by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), preventing water flow into the sea, farmers told government officials who attended a meeting at Usan Ramanathan Vidiyalayam School held Sunday.

Two meetings were held Sunday, one at Usan Ramanathan Vidiyalayam School and other at Maravanpulo Saraswathie Vidiyalayam to resolve problems due to flood and stray cattle faced by farmers of Thenmaradchi division in cultivating paddy this season .

Thenmaradchchi Divisional Secretary Mr.S.Srinivasan, Jaffna district secretariat Planning Director Mr.P.Suntharampillai, agrarian department officials, security officials located in the division and representatives of farmers' organizations attended the meeting.




Click on the image for a larger map

Farmers' representatives pointed out at the meeting that channels which drain floodwater into the sea in the villages Karampagam and Mirusuvil, which are located inside the HSZ, are not properly maintained and are blocked at several places under the army occupation. Hence crops would submerge under water in rainy days, farmers complained.

The civil officials replied that these channels could not be renovated immediately.

Meanwhile army officials present at the meeting said they would remove all blockades in drainage channels located inside the HSZ.

Jaffna District Secretary and Government Agent Mr.S.Pathmanathan presided the second meeting at Maravanpulo Saraswathie Vidiyalayam and attended by representatives of farmers' organizations and security officials.

Civil officials present at the meeting promised to supply barbed wire rolls to construct fences to prevent stray cattle from destroying crops, and to make necessary arrangement to provide seed paddy and other assistance through the World Food Program, sources said.

Meanwhile the SLA has allowed only 75 resettled families in Maravanpulo village to cultivate their lands, which are located inside the HSZ, sources said.