Don’t compromise on water share: Farmers

KAKINADA: The farmers of Godavari Delta are seeking the state government’s help to protect the rights of Godavari Delta. They have also cautioned the state government to not compromise on cost and get 300 TMCs of water to Andhra Pradesh. There is concern among farmers of Godavari Delta in Andhra Pradesh over the water sharing agreements between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and they are urging the Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy not to forgo Godavari share to other districts or other state.

Rythu Karyacharana Samiti, headed by its president Kalidindi Gopalakrishnam Raju submitted a representation to the government that stated that the government should ensure 300 TMCs of water for Godavari Delta in accordance with Bachawat Tribunal Award. After fulfilling AP’s need of water, only then should the Godavari water be diverted to other areas without affecting the Tribunal's guidelines.

There is also an increasing worry about the canals being clogged with plastic and other waste with too many pollutants being dumped in Godavari River, the waters of which were being supplied to many villages, towns and cities and causing great health problems. Mr Raju said that the government should take this up very seriously and take steps to resolve the problem. He also suggested that the government should set up a purifying water plant at Dowleswaram Head Sluice and then the purified water should be supplied to the people for drinking water purposes. He said that Aqua Ponds should not be a polluted environment and the government should set up separate systems for aqua pollutants and drinking water canals. He also said that delta modernisation works should be completed to give water to tail-end lands without any interruption.

The Samiti spokesperson and coordinator Mant-hena Venkata Suryana-rayana Raju said that resurvey of lands should be taken up for sorting out land survey problems and steps should be taken for spot lands (Chukkala Bhumulu), estate lands, prohibited lands and others and leave the farmers from these hurdles. He urged the CM Mr Reddy to adopt the system implemented by Chhattishgarh state in the matter of purchasing paddy.

He said that in Chhattishgarh state, paddy has to be given to the nearest rice mills and thus the rice millers directly purchase the paddy from the farmers. He expressed concern that the paddy, cultivated in Rabi season in AP, had not been sold yet and the farmers were in a distressed condition, unable to sell their paddy.

Meanwhile the farmers are not able to cultivate in the Khariff season due to lack of investment. He said that the Tenancy Act should be amended without causing any inconvenience and hardships to the genuine farmers.

Thanking the CM for allocating Rs 3,000 crore for Stabilisation Fund for farmers and investment assistance of Rs 12,500 per farmer, the Samiti advised him to name the Polavaram Project after Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and KL Rao and Sonti Rammurthy’s names for left and right canals respectively.