Chennai, Nov 5 (NationPress) The Samba paddy grown over nearly 500 acres across various villages in the Thiruverumbur block—especially in Vengur and Pazhanganankudi—in the Tiruchi district of Tamil Nadu has experienced significant withering, raising alarm among local farmers. Initial evaluations by agricultural specialists suggest that polluted irrigation water might be to blame, leading to a potential investigation by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).

Officials from the agriculture department report that samba cultivation is currently active in major paddy blocks of Tiruchy district, which include Lalgudi, Mannachanallur, Anthanallur, Thiruverumbur, Manikandam, Musiri, Thottiam, Thuraiyur, and Pullambadi.

Farmers in these areas typically cultivate high-yield varieties such as TRY-3, CO (R) 50, and CR 1009, as recommended by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). While many have chosen TRY-3 and CO (R) 50, farmers in Thiruverumbur have favored CR 1009 due to its resilience against common pests and diseases like leaf folder, stem borer, blast, and sheath rot.

Despite the absence of pest infestations, large areas of CR 1009 have shown considerable withering—an unusual occurrence that experts attribute to water contamination.

A senior official from the agriculture department mentioned that the symptoms seen in the affected fields indicate chemical pollution in the irrigation sources. “The polluted water might be causing the crop's withering, but we cannot dismiss physiological factors,” the official stated.

Experts from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sirugamani, who examined the affected fields in Pazhanganankudi on Saturday, are preparing a comprehensive report on the probable causes and potential remediation strategies.

“We identified withering across nearly 50 acres of samba fields and are currently analyzing soil and water samples,” the official added.

A meeting with farmers is scheduled for Monday to discuss findings and possible recovery actions. Vayalur N. Rajendran, treasurer of the farmers’ wing of the Tamil Manila Congress (TMC), claimed the issue originated from potential contamination in the irrigation channels.

“Officials must pinpoint the source of the polluted water that has infiltrated the supply network and take swift action to mitigate further damage,” he urged. Farmers are calling for immediate intervention from agricultural and pollution control authorities to avert similar losses in the future.