Amalapuram: Farmers declare crop holiday as officials fail to address problems

Amalapuram: The farmers of Konaseema staged a protest and declared a crop holiday in view of non-removal of silt from the drains. Farmers of Somudevarapalem, Kothalanka, Inapuram and neighbouring villages in Mummidivaram mandal decided to observe crop holiday.

They attributed it to the officials' failure in tackling their problems. They also expressed their anguish over silt flowing into their agriculture fields which made them incapable of cultivating the land. A crop holiday adversely affects the prospects of cultivation of 1,000 acres of land.

The farmers incurred losses during the previous Kharif and Rabi seasons owing to the dirty water entering their fields. The Kharif season has begun in the district.

Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat Ram and senior officials of the Water Resources department released 1,000 cusecs of the Godavari water for the 2021 Kharif season for the twin Godavari districts on June 15. The State government directed the officials to release water to 10.13 lakh acres in the eastern, central and western deltas from Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage.

The farmers bitterly complained about the indifferent attitude of the officials who come and go without providing any solution to their problems. All the farmers of Konaseema brought the issue to the notice of Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu. He advised the farmers to give up their agitation and idea of crop holiday by promising redressal of their grievances. He also instructed the officials to make repairs for the drainage system in the Konaseema division.

Agriculture department Joint Director N Vijay Kumar told 'The Hans India' that the crops will always be submerged in flood waters particularly during the Kharif season. He also said that many problems would crop up in the event of a crop holiday. Moreover, it will impact crop prospects in the following Rabi season.