AIADMK Leader EPS Demands Special Relief Package for Delta Crop Damage

AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) inspected rain-affected agricultural lands in the delta districts today, strongly criticizing the TVK government's delayed response to unseasonal heavy showers. Speaking to reporters in Salem district, EPS pointed out that thousands of acres of Samba paddy crops ready for harvest have been submerged due to inadequate drainage clearance in Cauvery delta canals. The opposition leader demanded an immediate compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre for affected farmers, urging the state cabinet to dispatch special ministerial teams to assess crop loss rather than relying solely on bureaucratic reports. He accused the ruling party of abandoning its pre-poll promises of swift agricultural distress relief, claiming that farmers are being forced to run from pillar to post for basic input subsidies. Agricultural department officials accompanying local monitoring teams countered that pumps have been deployed on a war footing to clear stagnant water in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur. However, the escalating political pressure from the AIADMK camp has put the government on high alert, with Chief Minister Vijay reportedly convening an emergency review meeting with senior agricultural secretaries scheduled for tomorrow morning.