Farmers face water scarcity due to poor maintenance of canals

Srikakulam : Lack of maintenance of canals of various irrigation projects is leading to scarcity of water for kharif crops in the district. The officials of the irrigation and agriculture departments are yet to solve the problems of farmers in this regard. Irrigation department officials failed to initiate steps to supply water to entire ayacut area of the Narayanapuram and Vamsadhara projects.

Agriculture department officials also failed to create awareness among farmers on the precautions they should take for the survival of crops particularly paddy during the current kharif season.

Paddy is the main crop during kharif season in the district and even after the third week of August, water has not reached to paddy fields at Gandredu, Thadivalasa, Latsayyapeta and other villages in Ponduru mandal, Loddalapeta, Belamam and other villages in Amadalavalasa mandal. All these villages are covered under the right main canal (RMC) ayacut of the Narayanapuram project located across the Nagavali river in Burja mandal.

“During previous kharif season, water was supplied to crops in these villages by making temporary arrangements but this year no one is responding to our problem,” farmers of these villages expressed their concern.

On the other hand, adequate water is yet to reach the tail-end areas in Palasa, Nandigama and Vajrapukotturu mandals. In the wake of second phase of dry spell, farmers are worried over survival of the paddy crops.