The state government has officially declared the flooding in Kuttanad paddy fields a disaster and has sanctioned funds from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to manage the waterlogging. The government has approved the allocation to pump water from 389.28 hectares of land in the Champakulam Panchayat at a rate of ₹900 per acre, totalling ₹8,65,370, based on a request by the Alappuzha District Collector.

The funds will also cover the cost of pump rentals and fuel, based on certification from the District Principal Agriculture Officer.

Normally, the government provides a subsidy of ₹1,900 per acre to contractors to pump water out of the fields for paddy cultivation in Kuttanad.  However, heavy rainfall in May 2025 forced farmers to abandon cultivation, shifting the focus to clearing floodwaters from the fields and nearby areas. The flooding affected not only the paddy fields but also adjacent houses and roads.

As there is no existing infrastructure for pumping water in the affected areas, other operational expenses, including the use of fire force pumps, will also be covered by the SDRF. Emergency pumping in other areas at risk of flooding will be supported as needed.

One of the affected farmers, Cyriac Jose, told Onmanorama that the government issued the order without considering similar seasons in 2022, 2023 and 2024. “The order mentions only the past year and covers just seven paddy fields in the Champakulam panchayat. Edathua, which is the main affected area, has not been mentioned at all. The ₹8 lakh allocation can never cover the extent of the losses suffered by farmers,” he said.

Cyriac said two types of cultivation are carried out using ring bunds and that valuation had already been done by officials, with bills prepared but pending at the Collectorate. “Without settling those issues, the government has announced new funds. This is an eyewash for the public,” he said. He also pointed out that the government has not clarified whether pending bills from previous seasons will be settled, adding that the current order appears to address only this season and a limited number of paddy fields.