Rajamahendravaram: Eruvaka doesn't bring joy to Polavaram-affected farmers
Farmers celebrating Eruvaka festival at Venkat Reddy Peta village in East Godavari district on Thursday
Rajamahendravaram: The farmers in East Godavari district celebrated Eruvaka on Thursday. On this joyous occasion, prominent farmers were honoured. They worshiped oxen and made them plough the field. During the rainy season, Eruvaka is celebrated with a great gaiety and fervour in the district.
All farmers in the various villages celebrated the festival on a grand scale. The festival indicates their mode of joy, sign of success and prosperity.
In Venkareddayyapet village of Yetapaka mandal in Chiturun division of East Agency, the farming families participated in puja offered to Lord Ganesh to bless and bring prosperity for successful cultivation.
On the other hand, many farmers were sad due to floods like situation due to the Polavaram project. A farmer of TP Veedu village Dontu Mangeswar Rao said that he cultivates 10 acres of land every year and celebrates Eruvaka during this season every year. He expressed anguish that there was severe damage to the crops due to the floods caused by the Polavaram project. He also pointed out that he did not receive any compensation for the loss of the crop for the last two years.
He also expressed his fear and unhappiness about the impending floods to be caused due to cofferdam and stated that farmers are in a hapless situation in view of non-prevention of the floods due to cofferdam.
He sarcastically remarked that officials come and go but there is no use to farmers as their problems remain the same. He further stated that they are solely dependent on agriculture and they have no other skills to eke out their livelihood. He wanted district higher officials to respond and mitigate their problems.
Agriculture Joint Director N Vijay Kumar told the 'The Hans India' that the farmers are cultivating paddy in 2.26 hectares in the district. 16,000 quintals of paddy seeds were distributed on subsidy. In the agency areas, 90 per cent of subsidy and in plain areas Rs 5 per kg is being offered to the farmers.
The farmers in the flood prone areas in the East agency would cultivate soon after the floods recede. The government would provide crop damage compensation only when they apply through e-crop booking online. He also stated that the government paid compensation to many farmers who applied online. He suggested that those who did not register their names in e-crop booking should apply for it online.