Water supply blocked to farmlands

Srikakulam: This is a live example of violation of rules which are reached at peak stage by the sand mafia in the district.

The mafia laid a road with clay and gravel across the open head channel (main water supply canal) at Suravaram village in Jalumuru mandal.

The sand mafia is utilising the road across the channel for shifting of sand from Vamsadhara river through tractors.

Previously, the State government invested about Rs 3 crore funds for removing silt and clearance of the jungles in the open head channel.

But due to the clay and gravel road laid across the channel, water supply was blocked to the agricultural fields in Suravaram, Dampaka, Thimadam, Makivalasa and surrounding villages in Jalumuru mandal in Narasannapeta Assembly constituency.

There have been allegations that the sand mafia excavated sand from Vamsadhara river with the active connivance of the officials of the police, revenue, mines and geology departments and leaders of political parties.

On the issue, local farmers have registered grievances with the officials of the revenue and irrigation departments. But illegal sand mining is rampant in the area. The road across the head channel is being used to transport the sand.

On the issue, farmers registered complaints with the District Collector during the Public Grievances Redressal System (PGRS) in Srikakulam under the leadership of Gutla Dharma Rao and others. On receiving the complaint, the Collector expressed his ire on the officials concerned.