Mission Kakatiya not helping small farmers

Sadashivanagar (Nizamabad): Small farmers are unhappy with the works taken up under Mission Kakatiya. The removal of silt and strengthening of the bunds of water tanks is the main aim of the programme. However, the guidelines framed by the irrigation department are not useful for them.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao launched the programme at Patha Cheruvu of Sadashivanagar mandal on March 12. After one month, the works are in full swing. Four JCBs are engaged in removing silt. Around 1,200 loads of silt are being removed from the tank every day. The villagers of Sadashivanagar and surrounding areas used their tractors to shift the silt to fields. Initially, Rs 39 lakh was sanctioned for Patha Cheruvu works, but the CM cleared Rs 1 crore more.

Speaking to DC, Shravan, a tractor driver, said that based on the distance from the water tank to the fields they are charging Rs 100 to Rs 350 per trip. “We are making around 20 trips a day for shifting silt from the water tank,” he added. He said the amount paid by the farmers is not enough for tractor owners. Usually, contractors are responsible for shifting the silt from the water tank. But Mission Kakatiya is useful for contractors as they simply remove the silt and dump it in tractors. Gadari Raji Reddy, a farmer of Sadashiva-nagar said that around 60 tractor trips were needed for two acres. “Silt from Pedda Cheruvu is benefiting farmlands,” he said.

M.D. Nayeemuddin, a small farmer said his family had three acres, but was unable to get silt from the tank. At least we should spend Rs 25,000 to transport silt to our fields, he said. Small farmers are unable to bear the expense, he added.

The government should exempt transport charges for small farmers and collect only nominal charges from others, he said.

Elected representatives from the Opposition have extended support for Mission Kakatiya. Sadashivanagar village sarpanch Talari Gangamani of the BJP, upa sarpanch Md. Althaf of the Congress and other leaders are fully involved in the works. "We conducted a village meeting to make the programme a success as Chief the Minister launched the programme in Sadashivanagar," they said.  Irrigation department assistant engineer Dasaratham said that no funds were released for Mission Kakatiya so far. There is no shortage of funds for the works. As the financial year is just beginning funds have not been released, he added.

Replying to a question, he said that around 30 per cent of the works were completed in Patha Cheruvu.