Cyclone Thane

The ‘Cyclone Thane’ hit Tamil Nadu on 30.12.2011 and caused extensive damage to horticulture crops to an extent of 48040.90 Ha and affected the livelihood of 70366 farmers. The crop damage assessment was taken up on war footing manner and a compensation of Rs.41.48 crores for horticulture crops was disbursed to the affected farmers. Towards rehabilitating the livelihood of affected farmers, Hon’ble Chief Minister has announced a special package for horticulture crops for Rs.724.96 crores. Under the Special Package, re-cultivation of annual crops and replanting of perennial horticulture crops will be taken up in the affected areas by undertaking the following activities.

Cutting and removal of fallen trees
Procurement of machinery for cutting fallen trees
Removal of stumps
Ploughing
Pitting and Filling
Re-cultivation –Annual Crops & Perennial crops
Intercropping
Irrigation facilities
Micro Irrigation

Government have accorded sanction for establishment of Project Management Unit to be stationed at Cuddalore at an out lay of Rs.203.48 lakhs. It will function under the head of a Project officer in the cadre of additional collector with the following objectives.

Implementing rehabilitation package of Agriculture and Horticulture Crops
Management and Evaluation of implementation of rehabilitation package
Timely distribution of packages
Co-ordination between departments
Reporting the progress of implementation to the respective Directorates and the Government.

Block Level Management Cell will be established in the blocks in which perennial crops like cashew, jack etc were severely affected. 64 posts have been created for a period of one year on deputation basis form departments like Agriculture, Horticulture, Agriculture Engineering, TNAU and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. 62 Temporary posts have been created for one year which will be filled up on contract basis. Necessary infrastructure facilities will be provided to Project Management Unit and Block Level Management Cell.

Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops

Status Report on Cyclone Thane

Cyclone ‘Thane’ hit Tamil Nadu on 30.12.2011 and caused extensive damage to Horticultural crops to an extent of 48,040.90 Ha in the districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Erode, Ariyalur, Dharmapuri and Salem. Perennial horticulture crops like Cashew, Jack etc were damaged to an extent of 36,517.08 Ha.

1.Crop Damage

Sl.No.	Kind	Major Crops Affected	Area Affected (Ha)	No. of Farmers Affected
I	Annual Crops
1	Vegetables	Water Melon, Gourds, etc.	3858.53	8472
2	Spice Crops	Turmeric	589.26	1459
3	Flower Crops	Jasmine, Crossandra, etc.	307.58	985
4	Medicinal Crops	Gloriosa, Coleus	41.00	57
5	Non-Perennial Fruit Crops	Banana	6727.47	11428
	Total Annual Crops		11523.84	22401
6	Perennial Crops	Cashew	34096.00	43256
		Jack	1044.08	2118
		Other Perennial Crops –Mango, etc.	1044.08	2118
II	Total Perennial Crops		36517.08	47965
	Grant Total		48040.92	70366

2.District wise area affected

S/no	Districts	Area Affected (Ha)	No.of farmers affected
1	Cuddalore	38155.58	51327
2	Villupuram	7909.00	14544
3	Kancheepuram	759.02	991
4	Tiruvannamalai	581.63	1619
5	Nagapattinam	450.91	1072
6	Vellore	87.23	435
7	Salem	9.68	26
8	Erode	1.58	5
9	Dharmapuri	9.21	26
10	Thanjavur	23.11	96
11	Ariyalur	54.36	225
12	Total	48041.31	70366

3. Compensation

The crop damage assessment was taken up on a warfooting manner and completed on 10/1/2012. Compensation amount of Rs.14.48 crores was distributed to the affected farmers.

4. Special Package

Considering the plight of the farmers who have incurred heavy loss due to complete damage of standing crops, Hon’ble Chief Minister announced a Special Package to rehabilitate the affected farmers. The Special package programme was originally proposed as detailed below.

5. Special Package for Horticulture Crops –Originally Proposed

Sl. No.	Components	Unit	Physical	Financial Outlay (Rs.in lakhs)	Implementation
1	Cutting and Removal of fallen trees	Ha.	36517.2	5477.56	MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme)/Lump sum cash assistance
2	Machinery for cutting fallen trees	Nos.	600	300.00	Agricultural Engineering
3	Removal of Stumps	Ha.	36517.2	13693.94	Agricultural Engineering
4	Ploughing	Ha.	36517.2	365.17	Agricultural Engineering
5	Pitting and Filling	Ha.	36517.2	3149.63	MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme)
6	Cultivation Cost	Ha.	48040.8	4782.33	Horticulture Dept
7	Intercropping in perennial crops (Pulses)	Ha.	36517.2	1387.64	Agriculture Dept
8	Irrigation facilities	Ha.	32867.2	8965.00	MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme), NABARD
9	Micro Irrigation System	Ha.	3650	912.50	Horticulture Dept
10	Project Monitoring Unit	No	1	203.48
	Total			39237.25
11	Maintenance from 2^ndyear to 5^th year	Ha	36517.08	33259.665	Horticulture Dept
	Total			72496.915

6. Revised Estimate

Due to the fragile nature of plants, particularly in crops like cashew, at initial stage the extent of damage was heavy. However, during the post Thane period, natural rejuvenation occurred and partially damaged trees have survived. Hence, the crop damage was re-estimated and Special package has been programmed to be implemented as detailed below. The details of revised assessment and achievement made so far as below.

S/no	Component	Unit	Revised assessment		Achievement made up to 22.9.2012
			Phy	(Rs.in lakhs)	Phy	Fin (Rs.in lakhs)
1	Removal of stumps and Roots	Ha	8678.59	2169.647	1487.93	358.257
2	Distribution of Vegetable minikits	Nos	22666	425.08	911	8.558
3	Re cultivation of Spice crops	Ha	589.25	109.01	0	0.000
4	Re cultivation of Non-Perennial Fruit crops	Ha	6727.47	504.80	0	0.000
5	Re-cultivation of-Flower crops	Ha	307.58	89.61	0	0.000
6	Replanting of Perennial crops	Ha	11470	1311.89	8.01	29.00
7	Re-cultivation of Medicinal Plants	Ha	41	4.07	0	0.000
8	Intercropping in Perennial crops-Distribution of pulses minikits	Nos	55460	555.82	19480	194.80
9	Micro Irrigation	Ha	700	328.62	4	0.904
10	Project Management Unit	No	1	203.48	1	37.000
	Total			6304.27		628.519

7. Cutting and Removal of Stumps and Roots of the damaged fallen trees and Ploughing

Government have issued orders for cutting and removal of fallen trees in 36517.08 ha and sanctioned a sum of Rs. 9129.27 lakhs to provide back ended assistance to the affected farmers as lump sum Grant @ Rs.25000 per Ha as per the G.O Ms.No.60 Agriculture (H1) Department, Dated 30.3.2012 & G.O Ms.No. 145, Agriculture (H1) Department, Dated 20.7.2012. Based on this, orders were issued to Deputy Director of Horticulture, Cuddalore and Villupruam to cut and remove stumps & roots of the fallen trees. Farmers have waited for natural rejuvenation of fallen trees. Flowering occurred from the fallen trees and farmers obtained yield with a yield loss of 60%-70%. The extent of damage also differs from field to field. Therefore, Re-assessment was done for cutting and removal of stumps and roots. As per the revised assessment, Cutting and removal of fallen trees will be taken up in 8678.59 Ha in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts as detailed below.

7.1. Cuddalore District

The area affected under cashew is 32162 ha. Cutting and removal of fallen trees will be taken up in 8200 Ha as below.

1200 Ha area to be cleared 100%
7000 Ha partial clearance.

Based on the above revised assessment, the cutting and removal of fallen trees are in progress.

7.2 Villupuram District

The area affected under cashew is 4502 ha. Farmers have come forward to clear fallen trees in 478.59 Ha as below

134.16 Ha area to be cleared 100%
487.59 Ha partial clearance

7.3. Progress

S/no	District	Total Area affected (Ha)	Revised Assessment (Ha)	Area cleared up to 20.9.2012 (Ha)	Amount release (Lump sum Grant ) (Rs.in lakhs)
S/no	District	Total Area affected (Ha)	Revised Assessment (Ha)	Area cleared up to 20.9.2012 (Ha)	Target	Ach
1	Cuddalore	32162	8200	1372.62	2050.00	329.429
2	Villupuram	4502	478.59	115.31	119.647	28.828
	Total	36664	8678.59	1487.93	2169.647	358.257

PUM is super checking with 100% field verification. It is expected that, before 15.10.2012, the target will be achieved.

8. Planting

Planting is taken up immediately after completing cutting and removal of stumps, ploughing and pitting. Re-planting will be taken up in 8678.59 Ha as below.

S/no	District	High Density Planting	Normal planting	Total
	Area in Ha
1	Cuddalore	1200.00	7000.00	8200.00
2	Villupuram	134.16	344.43	478.59
	Total	1334.16	7344.43	8678.59

A model high density cashew orchard has been established in 8.01 Ha in Melirruppu village, Cuddalore with bore well facilities to create awareness and motivate farmers on re-planting of cashew with High Density Planting
Planting works are taken up on a warfooting manner. It will be completed in full before 31.10.2012.

9. Planting materials

21.358 lakh Cashew grafts of high yielding variety i.e VRI 3 is required to replant in 8678.59 Ha. 10 lakh Cashew grafts will be procured from State Horticulture Farm, Neyveli, Vridhachalam and RRS. Vridhachalm. 10.00 lakh cashew grafts will be procured through TANHOPE and 1.358 lakh cashew grafts from TAFECORN.

A sum of Rs. 29.00 lakhs was paid to RRS. Vridhachalm, as an advance amount, to supply 1.60 lakh cashew grafts immediately.

10. Re-cultivation of vegetable crops, spice crops, Non-Perennial fruit crops, medicinal and flower crops.

Out of 22666 Nos of minikits, 911 Nos of vegetable minikits were distributed and the remaining minikits will be distributed during 1st week of Oct-2012.
Distribution of bio-fertilizers & bio-pesticides for spice crops, banana, flower crops, medicinal crop and perennial crops will be completed before 15.10.2012.

11. Intercropping

Due to the revised assessment, the requirement of pulse minikits have been reduced from 1.82 lakh minikits to 55982 and out of this, 19480 minikits have been distributed. The balance minikits (BlackGram) will be distributed during Oct-2012.

12. Micro –Irrigation

Micro irrigation will be provided to high density cashew orchards to be established in 1334.16 Ha. So far, 4 Ha have been covered. To provide bore well facilities to farmers, Joint Liability Groups and willing individual farmer groups have been formed. In Cuddalore district, 157 individual farmers and 47 JLGs have been formed. In Villupuram district, 5 individual farmers groups and 1JLG have been formed. On a warfooting manner, coverage of area under micro irrigation is being taken up.

13. Special Package Implantation

The special package of Cyclone ‘Thane’ is being implemented on a warfooting manner in co-ordination with the Project Management unit to complete the target before 30.10.2012.