Farmers fret over neglect of Vamsadhara canals

Srikakulam: Farmers are in worry over officials' negligence on Vamsadhara river project canals in the district.

Both right main canal and left main canal (RMC and LMC), its distributaries, minor and sub-minor canals are being neglected by the officials concerned. Farmers allege that due to the lack of maintenance of these canals free flow of water is not possible, and water will remain a daydream for tail-end lands.

This year jungle clearance, silt removal, bund strengthening works are yet to start on the RMC and LMC.

Around 2.50 lakh acres extent of ayacut area is dependent on these two canals. Gara, Srikakulam rural, Palasa and Vajrapukotturu mandals farmers alleged that lands located at tail-end areas will not be irrigated as water will not reach there due to silt in the canals. Farmers in these mandals are worried over the expected hurdles for free flow of water supply to their crops during the coming kharif season.

For the last 15 years these two main canals have been neglected by the government which affected the kharif production.

"We have done an assessment on which areas of the canals need to be cleared before kharif season and prepared a list and estimated cost of these works. After that we forwarded the same list to the government and are waiting for its approval.

Maintenance of canals is necessary to yield high production'', superintendent engineer (SE) for Vamsadhara river water project, Dola Tirumala Rao.