Anantapur: Farmers desilt canal with their own funds

Uravakonda (Anantapur): Farmers of Vidapanakallu came to a conclusion that self-help is the best help after appealing to the government in vain to desilt the Tungabhadra high level canal as it channelises water to irrigate 3,600 acres.

Farmers raised contributions among themselves to meet the cost of desilting the canal and for jungle clearance. With the contributions raised, they hired an excavator to clear silt in 6 km long canal. Three more excavators have been pressed into action from Sunday to complete the work in four days. A farmer Narayanappa told The Hans India that despite many appeals to government, their pleas remained a cry in the wilderness. “We finally realised that self-help is the best,” he added.

There are about 400 village tanks belonging to Srikrishna Devarayalu era in the undivided district but the government is paying a deaf ear to the pleas of farmers. Due to silt formation, during floods and rainy season, the tanks are overflowing and submerging villages in the vicinity.