Srikakulam: Farmers concerned over lack of repairs to canals

Srikakulam: Farmers in Srikakulam district have expressed concern over the failure on the part of the officials to remove silt form the irrigation canals.

They have expressed the fear whether water is available for crops during the current kharif season. No repairs have been carried out for canals due to Covid-19 lockdown.

This year minor works and repairs for projects and canals have not been proposed. Normally works like silt removing, bund strengthening, plugging of breaches, shutters installation, jungle clearance and other related works are carried out every year during February.

But this year these works had not been executed during February in the wake of reverse tendering process adopted by the government for irrigation projects.

Subsequently during March this year, preparations for elections to local bodies came in the way of executing the works. Later, coronavirus lockdown stopped the works.

In Srikakulam district, a total 6 lakh acre is under cultivation during kharif season and paddy is the main crop. As per Agriculture Department officials, a total of 4.75

lakh farmers are directly, and another 1.50 lakh farmers are indirectly depending on agriculture.

Irrigation projects are Vamsadhara, Thotapalli old and new canals systems, Madduvalasa, Narayanapuram. In addition to these major and medium projects, there are several other minor irrigation projects.