Srikakulam: Madduvalasa reservoir outflows inundate crops in 3 mandals

Srikakulam: Outflows from Madduvalasa reservoir are inundating kharif paddy crop during every rainy season in three mandals in Srikakulam district.

Paddy crop is getting submerged in 25 villages in G Sigadam, Ponduru and Santhakaviti mandals. Madduvalasa reservoir is located in Vangara mandal. Outflows from the reservoir and floodwater coming from Relligadda rivulet are causing damage to crops.

Due to lack of strong bunds, floodwater inundates paddy crop in 25 villages in three mandals. The Relligadda rivulet is a tributary to the Nagavali river and it is flowing in the above three mandals. Farmers of these villages are requesting leaders of all political parties and officials concerned to protect their crop for the last 10 years but concrete proposals are yet to be prepared to arrest inundation of crops in these mandals.

Due to lack of flood protection walls, water freely flows on to the farm fields and damages crops every year. "We have been representing the issue to the Ministers, MLAs and officials several times but they are yet to start even study on the floodwater arrest and flood protection walls," P Janardhana Rao, a farmer of Davalapeta village in G Sigadam mandal said.

"We are losing our paddy crop every rainy season due to Relligadda and Madduvalasa floodwater," points out Ch Lakshmana Rao, a farmer of Gorinta village in Ponduru mandal.

The farmers in the area express concern over incurring losses every year due to inundation of the crop. "Getting paddy yield from our lands is not certain every year due to Relligadda and Madduvalasa floodwater," A Rami Naidu, a farmer of Jagannadhapeta village in Santhakaviti mandal explained. "We have proposed to remove silt and take up jungle clearance in the Relligadda rivulet but it is yet to materialise due to various reasons" explained Deputy Executive Engineer P Ranga Rao.