ഉണ്സീസോനബ്ലെ രിന്‍സ് ഇന്‍ Kerala

This month’s (March 2008) unseasonable rains have caused severe damage to crops and property in several parts of south India. In Kerala, ready-to-harvest paddy in thousands of hectares has perished. It is estimated that crop in about 20,000 hectares amounting to 140,000 tonnes perished. The rain had also hit other crops such as cashew, mango, pepper and banana. More than half of the state of Karnataka was also battered by these rains. Around 24 lives were lost and paddy, potato, chilies, pepper, pulses, vegetable crops and coffee plantations suffered damage. Roads, bridges, public buildings and thousands of homes were damaged. Farmers in the state of Tamil Nadu also suffered heavy crop damage.

Such unpredictable changes in climate have become quite frequent in all parts of India. Flooding and draught alternate with ferocity resulting in complete loss of production by the agricultural sector. Farmers indebted by loss of crops are often forced to commit suicide.