Farmers worry as canal dries up, fields wither

Srikakulam: Getting irrigated water for kharif crops during current season has become difficult for Thotapalli irrigation water project ayacut area farmers.

Farmers of Gedelapeta, Sitampeta, Nakkapeta, Palakhandyam, Jada, DR Valasa, Penta, Nadimvalasa, Bathuva, Jagannadhavalasa, Gurralapalem, Laxmipeta, Rapaka, VR Gudem, Pathivadapalem, Venkatapuram villages in G Sigadam, Laveru, Ranastalam mandals in the district are cultivating paddy, maize, cotton, sugarcane and other crops in the Thotapalli project ayacut area.

Due to lack of maintenance of main canals, water supply has stopped and farmers are depending on local irrigation tanks. In the wake of long dry spell, irrigation tanks did not receive inflows and unable to cater needs of farmers for cultivation of crops. Thotapalli main canals look like grass fields and weed plants are growing in these canals.

Though the farmers have raised this with the Irrigation department officials, no one has paid heed. Water is not flowing through these canals during the current kharif season and farmers are losing their hopes on survival of crops.