Chennai, Jun 8 (IANS): AIADMK General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami has demanded the state government to provide adequate compensation to the farmers who have suffered crop loss due to summer rains.

He said that due to summer rains, crops, including bananas and sugarcane, were completely damaged in around 1,000 acre of farmlands in the Cuddalore district alone.

Palaniswami, who is also the opposition leader, added that 15,000 drumstick trees were uprooted in Tuticorin district by thunderstorms as part of the summer rains.

The AIADMK leader said that the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister, M.R.K Panneerselvam, had inspected only one area where summer rains led to the destruction of crops and when the local people requested him to inspect all the areas where crop loss took place, he had reportedly threatened people.

The opposition leader called upon the revenue and agriculture authorities to immediately send officials to the areas where extensive crop damage had taken place due to summer rains and to provide immediate compensation to the farmers.