Chennai: Several parts of Tamil Nadu received heavy rainfall. According to the weather department, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore districts as well as Puducherry and Karaikal regions. Thunderstorms and lightning are likely to occur in a couple of places.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Udayanidhi Stalin inspected the infrastructure development and renovation works being carried out in the south Chennai region to improve waterways so that the flood waters can easily go into the sea during the monsoon season. These works include deepening, widening, construction of canals covered with concrete walls, storm drainage, as well as siltation from areas where canals meet the sea and river mouth.
Udayanidhi visited the Okium Madhavi Canal, where work is underway at a cost of Rs 27 crore. According to an official release, he also inspected the ongoing silt removal work in the Kannagi Nagar area.
Local farmers said the harvesting of thousands of acres of paddy crops has been affected by incessant rains in and around Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district for the past two days. Speaking to news agency PTI, farmer Subramanian of Kakanallur village said that he did not have time to harvest paddy due to no relief between the southwest and northeast monsoon this year.
“Subramanian said, “There is still a ripe paddy crop in the fields.” If the rains continue, farmers here will be affected. One thing the government can do to reduce our burden is to start buying rice by going door to door as soon as the harvesting is completed. According to him, some people were able to harvest paddy, but that too could not be harvested due to the early arrival of the northeast monsoon.
