Anantapur: Farmers asked to shift to less water intensive crops

Anantapur : During Kharif season-2023, district has registered 247.4 mm rainfall, which is 22.6 mm less than the normal rainfall of 319.7. Now, rainfall deficit is 93.7 per cent in the present Rabi season.

In a press statement on Friday, district Collector M Gauthami informed that 28 mandals have been declared as drought-hit based on the rainfall index. Top priority will be given for drinking water supply to people in the process of distribution in the existing HLC and HNSS projects for both drinking and irrigation purposes.

Gauthami revealed that groundwater levels declined from 7.76 meters to 9.94 mm due to deficit rainfall registered from June to October. The government is clearly advising farmers against going for crops that consume high quantity water including paddy, maize, groundnut and horticulture plantations. She urged the farmers to bring down cultivation based on bore-wells and also refrain from cultivation of pulses. High profile investment is also being discouraged in view of volatility in climatic conditions.