Farmers from Mundakkai and Chooralmala have called upon the authorities to grant them access to agricultural fields and permission to harvest their produce, including cardamom.The demand was made during a meeting of farmers, highlighting the challenges over 40 days after the landslides.Despite the passage of time, stringent restrictions remain in effect, and electricity is yet to be restored in Chooralmala and surrounding areas. Farmers are facing significant difficulties as they cannot nurture crops like pepper, coffee, and tea or harvest cardamom due to unresolved issues.Moreover, there is an urgent need to create employment opportunities for plantation workers, many of whom are left without work. Compounding the situation, numerous individuals have not received the government-announced daily incentive of ₹300.The plight of disaster-hit families resettled across various regions in the district remains concerning, as they frequently visit the collectorate for assistance. In light of these challenges, the farmers’ meeting advocated for the complete waiver of bank loans owed by disaster victims and requested the allocation of land to those who have lost their agricultural holdings.The region is home to numerous tea, coffee, and cardamom estates, as well as small plantations, all of which were closed following the natural disaster, as directed by the authorities, T. Siddique, MLA, said. Work in these plantations and estates was the sole source of livelihood for hundreds of workers. If farmers are not permitted to access their fields, particularly for cardamom, their crops will perish, leading to a crisis for those who have already suffered significant losses due to landslides, he stated.Farmers and estate managements have been unable to properly maintain their plantations for several weeks due to a shortage of workers. Though these issues have been brought to the attention of the district administration and Revenue Minister K. Rajan, he added that no appropriate decision has yet been made to address them. Hence, the government should allow farmers and workers to access their fields, except in areas designated by the scientific team as unsuitable for human habitation, by rescheduling work hours, he said. Published – September 11, 2024 11:24 pm IST