Nirmal puts brakes on paddy farming

​Nirmal: With drought-like situation prevailing in the district due to lack of rain even during the current monsoon, no paddy sowing operations have been taken up in the ayacut under the Kadem and SRSP projects. This situation is causing anxiety among farmers. Even in the case of crops farmers are utilising the sowings as fodder for the cattle.

Although the rainy season commenced 60 days ago, there has not been sufficient showers, particularly in Nirmal and Kadem areas, which normally receive the highest rainfall in Telangana. As a result, the irrigation projects and streams are giving a dry look, without water. The Kadem and SRSP projects are yet to be filled up.

No significant paddy sowing has been taken so far in Kadem, Jannaram, Dandepalli and Luxettipet mandals, where normally 50,000 acres are covered. In the case of Kadem project not much sowing activity is being witnessed because of the continuous dry spell, whereas it was completed last year by this time. Not even ten per cent work was completed by the farmers, who were clearly distressed by the prevailing situation.

A farmer from Kadem, Tirupati told The Hans India that such adverse weather conditions had not prevailed in the ayacut area. He was concerned that the sowings were drying up due to lack of water, with farmlands looking like dried lands, in contrast to the green look during the monsoon. Tirupati recalled that ryots had taken up sowing work hoping to get good rains, spending thousands of rupees in securing seeds.

Another farmer, Rajanna said that it was difficult to water the sowings in the absence of rain. Even there is no water in wells to take up irrigation. Distressed by the weather conditions, some ryots have given up hopes on the monsoon. Instead they are allowing their cattle the graze the sowings.

With only five tmcft water in the Kadem project against the normal level of 7.5 at the end of the season, the irrigation department officials have announced that they won’t be able to provide the much water supply, unless the project gets filled to its full capacity. Farmers have appealed to the officials to ensure water supply from the left and right canals at least to the sowing operations.

In the case of SRSP, which is yet to be filled, farmers in its ayacut are looking forward to the rest of the seasons with hope. Ryots in Nirmal, Mamada, Dilavarpur and Khanapur mandals usually take up sowing based on the supply from the Saraswati canal.

With scanty rainfall, they are unable to cover even 45,000 acres. Even as the sowings are getting dried up, farmers are worried over the rising expenditure being incurred on seeds. They are keeping their fingers crossed, while looking at the sky with fond hopes.

With scanty rainfall, agriculture labourers are finding it difficult to find work, so also are tractor drivers. Farm labour Narsaiah told THI that they were facing financial problems as they lost a daily income of about Rs 300 to Rs 400, which they used to get during normal farm operations.

In the case of Swarna project, under which normally paddy usually will be covered in 15,000 acres, the lands are looking like deserts. This is causing severe hardship to farmers, who have already stored the required fertilisers/chemicals and are worried about the mounting investment expenditure. Meanwhile ryots in Bhainsa, Nirmal, Khanapur and other areas are worshipping the rain god for good rains.