Latest news with #Gaja
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
TNEB told to pay Rs 10 lakh in damages to electrocution victim and son
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently ordered the Dindigul division of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to a woman, whose husband and son died due to electrocution in Kodaikanal in 2018. Justice V Lakshminarayan passed the order on a petition filed in 2022 by the woman, R Subbulakshmi. According to the order, on December 2, 2018, the petitioner's son Raja Pandi got electrocuted when he went to dry a towel on a clothesline at their house, unaware that a live electric wire had fallen on it. Her husband, Ravi, in an attempt to save his son, also met the same fate. Subbulakshmi claimed that for 10 days prior to the incident, there had been no power supply to her house owing to Gaja cyclone. Authorities had restored the connection without checking whether the electric lines were intact, she alleged. Saying that she had lost her husband and only son due to the negligence of the authorities, she sought compensation. Pointing out a Tangedco scheme providing Rs 5 lakh solatium to the family of electrocution victims, the judge ordered the superintending engineer (Dindigul) to pay Rs 10 lakh.
Hans India
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Hans India
Cashew farmers in TN's Nagapattinam face 50 pc yield loss due to unseasonal rains, pests
Chennai: Cashew farmers in Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam district are grappling with a significant decline in yield this season, with losses estimated between 40 per cent and 50 per cent. Cashew is cultivated on over 5,000 acres in the district, but unseasonal rains, combined with widespread pest infestations, have severely impacted the crop across major cultivation zones such as Vedaranyam and Keezhaiyur. Farmers say this year's setback is particularly distressing as the region had only recently begun to recover from the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Gaja in 2018. "After Cyclone Gaja, it took us several years to restore our cashew plantations. Just as yields were beginning to show promise again, this season has delivered another blow," farmer Saravanan K.R. said. "Due to the rains and pest attacks, the flowers, fruits, and even leaves are turning black. Despite using fertilisers, nearly half the yield is gone,' he added. Market rates this year are considered favourable, with cashew fruits selling at Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg and cashew nuts at Rs 110 to Rs 120 per kg. However, the reduced output means most farmers are unable to benefit from the price advantage. "Even though the prices are good, the low volume of harvest is cutting into our profits," Saravanan said. Officials from the Horticulture Department have acknowledged the crisis. "We have been guiding farmers on the timely use of fertilisers and recommending preventive measures. But the recent unseasonal rainfall has worsened the pest situation, making it harder to control," a department official said. Experts note that the combination of excess moisture and lack of adequate pest control has accelerated the spread of fungal and insect infestations, particularly affecting flowering and fruit-bearing stages. Farmer groups in the region have urged the state government to conduct crop damage assessments and provide immediate relief to affected growers. They also requested the introduction of weather-based crop insurance schemes specifically designed for horticultural crops like cashew, which are highly sensitive to climatic shifts.
New Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Decline in demand forces TN Dindigul sapota farmers to switch crop
DINDIGUL: The bulk of the sapota (chikku) farmers in Dindigul district have slowly moved away from cultivating the fruit owing to a steady decline in demand over the last few years and the low price – as low as Rs 20 per kg – offered by the traders. As per official records, the gross area of sapota cultivation in the district has been on a constant decline, shrinking from 1,715 hectares in 2011 to 800 hectares in 2024. K Thangapandi, a farmer from Jamnadadurai Kottai Panchayat who cultivated sapota in five acres, told TNIE, 'One acre of sapota, with small and medium-sized trees, could yield more than one tonne. As traders demand a low price for the fruit and a lack of commercial units processing the fruit to make food products, many farmers have opted for the cultivation for other crops. I converted my land to cultivate gooseberries.' He said that though the tree's lifespan is around 20 to 25 years, the yield drops after a period of time. After removing the trees, farmers generally choose a different crop for crop rotation. 'Besides, farmers faced a severe loss during the Cyclone Gaja in 2018, which forced several of them who had cultivated sapota in hundreds of acres to opt for a different crop,' he added.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Unseasonal rain, pest attack hits cashew yield in Nagapattinam district
Cashew farmers in Nagapattinam district are reporting a sharp drop in yield this season, with losses estimated between 40% and 50%, primarily due to unseasonal rains and pest infestations. Cashew is cultivated on over 5,000 acres in the district, with major cultivation being in Vedaranyam and Keezhaiyur. Farmers say the impact had been particularly distressing as the region had only recently begun to recover from the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Gaja in 2018. 'After Cyclone Gaja, it took us years to revive cashew plantations. In the past few years, yields had started to improve. But this year, unseasonal rainfall combined with pest attacks has hit us hard,' said S. Mohan, a farmer from Vettaikaraniruppu. 'The flowers, fruits, and even leaves are turning black, and despite applying fertilisers, nearly half the yield has been lost,' he added. According to farmers, cashew fruits are fetching ₹20 to ₹25 a kg while cashew nuts are being sold at ₹110 to ₹120 a kg. 'Market prices are fair this year, but the reduced volume means farmers are unable to benefit,' said Mr. Mohan. Officials from the Horticulture Department in Nagapattinam acknowledged the situation. 'We have been advising farmers on timely application of fertilisers and other preventive measures. However, the unseasonal rains have compounded the issue, making pest management more difficult,' an official said.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Unseason rain, pest attack hits cashew yield in Nagapattinam district
Cashew farmers in Nagapattinam district are reporting a sharp drop in yield this season, with losses estimated between 40% and 50%, primarily due to unseasonal rains and pest infestations. Cashew is cultivated on over 5,000 acres in the district, with major cultivation being in Vedaranyam and Keezhaiyur. Farmers say the impact had been particularly distressing as the region had only recently begun to recover from the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Gaja in 2018. 'After Cyclone Gaja, it took us years to revive cashew plantations. In the past few years, yields had started to improve. But this year, unseasonal rainfall combined with pest attacks has hit us hard,' said S. Mohan, a farmer from Vettaikaraniruppu. 'The flowers, fruits, and even leaves are turning black, and despite applying fertilisers, nearly half the yield has been lost,' he added. According to farmers, cashew fruits are fetching ₹20 to ₹25 a kg while cashew nuts are being sold at ₹110 to ₹120 a kg. 'Market prices are fair this year, but the reduced volume means farmers are unable to benefit,' said Mr. Mohan. Officials from the Horticulture Department in Nagapattinam acknowledged the situation. 'We have been advising farmers on timely application of fertilisers and other preventive measures. However, the unseasonal rains have compounded the issue, making pest management more difficult,' an official said.
