Atmakur farmers panic with frequent spotting of crocodiles in paddy fields

Atmakur (Wanaparthy): With the officials releasing continuous water through sub canals to the paddy fields in Atmakur mandal, the menace of crocodiles crossing from these canals towards the paddy files is creating fear and panic among the farmers of the mandal.

Recently, there have been various incidents of crocodiles being spotted in paddy fields, which has created a sense of fear among the farmers who are not daring to venture into their fields. "With canal flowing continuously and officials releasing water to the paddy fields through the sub canals, a large number of crocodiles that have come from the river flowing through the canals have now started venturing into the paddy elds.Recently,we have spotted a crocodile on the banks of a local pond, now again one more crocodile in the paddy fields," said a farmer resident of Kattepally village of Atmakur mandal.

On Friday, another crocodile was spotted in the paddy fields of a farmer named Ramulu, who later informed the locals and shooed the crocodile away into the local pond. With frequent spotting of crocodiles in the open areas, the farmers, who are getting irrigation water from the Jurala canals, are under the grip of fear. They are demanding the forest officials and the Jurala project engineers to ensure the secreatures are trapped at the mouth of the canals with nets and stop them from being letting into the paddy fields and marshy areas, as they may pose grave danger to the farmers.