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Paddy withering in Krishna delta
Anguish is writ large on the faces of farmers in Krishna delta, known as rice bowl of India. They are looking to skies for the sign of rain. But rains continue to remain elusive. The farmers in Eluru, Denduluru and Pedapadu mandals depend on water from Krishna River through Eluru canal to water their crops.
Eluru: Anguish is writ large on the faces of farmers in Krishna delta, known as rice bowl of India. They are looking to skies for the sign of rain. But rains continue to remain elusive. The farmers in Eluru, Denduluru and Pedapadu mandals depend on water from Krishna River through Eluru canal to water their crops. Paddy is grown in 58,000 acres in these mandals during Kharif and rabi seasons put together. The remaining 5.50 lakh acres is under Godavari western delta.
Agriculture operations begin in June every year. This year, too, the farmers started transplantation of paddy nurseries in June, hoping that there would be sufficient water in the canal and also good rainfall. But scanty rainfall, coupled with falling inflows into the canal has caused distress among the ryots.
With the Nagarjunasagar reservoir touching dead storage level, there is no prospect of having river water for their lands as of now. Farmers in these three mandals carried out transplantation operations in 38,000 acres out of total 58,000 acres. The remaining land has been left fallow. Padapadu mandal accounted for 25,000 acres, Eluru mandal 10,000 acres and Denduluru mandal just 3,000 acres.
With the Nagarjunasagar reservoir touching dead storage level, release of water for irrigation into Eluru canal from Prakasam barrage came to a halt. The crops are showing signs of withering with no rains even in the first week of August. If the rains remain elusive, the farmers will lose the huge investment they have made on carrying out transplantation operations and fertiliser.
The farmers in Jalipudi, Madepalli, Babukhangudem, Lingaraogudem and Katlampudi are now trying to lift water from Jalipudi drain which carries drain water from Eluru town to Kolleru lake. Denduluru MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar, who is also the Government Whip, took the initiative and ensured lifting of water from the branch Canal of Godavari River by installing 15 motors at Eastern Locks in Eluru city.
Krishna canal joins Godavari river branch canal at this point. The irony is that though the motors are lifting the water from the branch canal, the farmers in Pedapadu mandal could not get any relief. The water thus being lifted is not reaching Pedapadu mandal.
By:G Ramachandra Sharma
