Hyderabad: Kavvaguda, a veggie hub untouched by land sharks

Shamshabad: Unlike other rural areas that have fallen prey to real estate boom, the Kavvaguda Gram Panchayat on the city outskirts is still serving as a 'vegetable hub', from where fresh greens are transported to Shamshabad market every day.

Spread across 620.34 acres, Kavvaguda is the first village from where the sway of Panchayati Raj department begins and that of Shamshabad Municipality ends. Represented by its Sarpanch Deverkonda Ramesh Yadav, it is divided into 10 wards with members to serve people.

Thanks to GO 111 rule imposed on the catchment areas of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar lakes, Kavvaguda remains untouched by the real estate sharks. Nestled amid villages like Shamshabad, Narkhuda and Kotwalguda of Shamshabad municipality, this gram panchayat is a major source of fresh leafy vegetables grown by villagers and brought every day to the Shamshabad market, which is just a few metres away from the village. Besides, the villagers also practice mixed farming and rear cattle and fish for an additional source of income.

With a population of 2,010 (as per the 2011 Census), this village is home to around 488 families who predominantly practice agriculture.

With a fund of Rs 2 lakh every month, besides collection of property tax, the panchayat manages to serve its dwellers with facilities like door-to-door garbage collection, sanitation and water supply through the Mission Bhagiratha.

"We have a school, a nursery with different varieties of fruit, flower and ornamental seedlings under the Palle Prakruti Vanam on par with the one in cities with walking facility, two Anganwadi centres, a DWCRA building and a dump yard with compost-making facility, besides a graveyard. We are primarily focusing on promoting the MGNREGA programme. We are also encouraging institutional deliveries to avoid post-delivery complications among rural women," said J Surender Kumar, panchayat secretary.

"Leafy vegetables, like spinach, coriander, mint and amaranth and beans, besides tomatoes, okra, cauliflower, cabbage, brinjal and green chilies are grown in the village. Flowers and paddy are also cultivated here," said Uday Singh, Agricultural Extension Officer.