Rajamahendravaram: Deputy CM Dharmana Krishna Das calls for helping farmers affected by Polavaram Project

Rajamahendravaram: Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das has underlined the need to extend necessary help to farmers in twin Godavari districts.

He participated in East and West Godavari districts Irrigation Advisory Board (IAB) meeting held at Sri Venkateswara Anam Kala Kendram here on Tuesday.

He said it is the duty of the elected representatives and officials to do justice to the farmers who are sacrificing for Polavaram Project and added that officials and political leaders should work with coordination in this regard. Action plan should be devised for water supply without posing any problem to farmers, he emphasised.

He stressed on the need to reduce Rabi season for 120 days and also reduce paddy cultivation to complete Cofferdam as per schedule.

Water in all delta canals also be stopped on March 31st without fail. With 90 TMC of water Rabi season should be completed including supplying water for drinking purpose.

Minister for Social Welfare Pinepe Viswaroop asked the officials to supply water for cultivation in Pithapuram, Venkatanagaram and Jaggampeta areas as they are getting water from Chagalnadu lift irrigation scheme.

Minister for Agriculture Kurasala Kanna Babu asked the farmers to complete paddy transplantations before December. He asked the officials with the help of Rythu Bharosa Kendrams bring awareness among the farmers about this Rabi season.

Minister for Housing Cherkuvada Sriranga Nadha Raju asked the officials to devise a plan without posing problems to the farmers.

Minister for BC Welfare Chelluboyina Venu Gopala Krishna, Minister for Women and Child Welfare Taneti Vanitha, Rajya Sabha member Pilli Subash Chandra Bose, MPs Margani Bharat Ram, Vanga Geetha, Polavaram Project chief engineer P Sudhakar Babu, Godavari delta chief engineerV Sridhar, twin Godavari districts superintending engineers Srirama Krishna, Suryaprakasa Rao, joint collectors Lakshmisha, Venkatrami Reddy, sub-collectors Anupama Anjali, Himansh Koushik and others were present.

Collector D Muralidhar Reddy said as many as 1.50 lakh acres will be cultivated during rabi season in the district. Due to cofferdam the farmers in delta area suffered.Tail-end lands will get water for cultivation, if 10,000 cusecs of waterreleased, he said.

Farmers will face problems, if paddy transplantationnot completed by the end of December, he added.