Suggest alternative crops in drought-hit mandals: CS

Vijayawada: Chief Secretary K S Jawahar Reddy conducted a review meet on the present flood situation and prevailing drought conditions in some other mandals.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Secretary directed the officials to prepare contingency plan in drought-affected mandals for suggesting cultivation of alternative crops. He said officials should supply paddy seed in the flood-affected region.

Giving a presentation, Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries) Gopalakrishna Dwivedi said that the cultivation has been taken up in 9.22 lakh hectares out of total 34.39 lakh hectares in kharif season. He said Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Guntur and Bapatla received 20 to 50 per cent excess rainfall and Krishna district received 60 per cent excess rainfall.

He said Konaseema, West Godavari, Nellore, Kadapa, Annamayya and Tirupati districts received 20 to 50 mm deficit rainfall. He said 10,000 quintals of seeds were kept ready for distribution in the rain deficit areas.

Gopalakrishna Dwivedi said paddy seeds were kept ready to distribute in flood affected regions.

At a separate review meeting, the Chief Secretary directed the officials to speed up Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam and Bhavanapadu port works. He said that Juvvaladinee, Nizampet, Uppada and Machilipatnam fishing harbour works also should be speeded up.

Commissioner of Industries Praveen Kumar gave a power point presentation on the present status of the new ports and fishing harbours.