Flood-Hit Farmers Look to Govt for Aid

Kakinada:Farmers in flood-affected areas are in a distressed condition as their investment on crops vanished due to floods. The Konaseema, Eluru, Kakinada, East and West Godavari districts had severe floods twice within a span of one week.

Though initially Kakinada farmers did not bother about the floods, after discharge of inflows of more than 25,000 cusecs to downstream, nearly 46,000 acres of paddy were inundated.

The farmers said paddy crop was submerged after fertilisers were applied. According to a farmer, he invested Rs 25,000 per acre and fertilizers have been given twice to the crop. At this time, floods affected his crop.

He said many farmers are in a distressed condition. He said if water-logging continues for another three days, total crop can be spoiled. If they want to plant again, the time will not be sufficient for the crop as they have to go for rabi crop after Diwali.

Bh. Rama Rao, another farmer, said if the government helps the farmers, they will get relief to some extent and they can go to rabi crop. Tenant farmers are unable to take care of their crops and regain from the losses.

On Friday, inflows to Yeleru reservoir drastically fell. According to water resources department officials, the reservoir has 22.54 TMCs of water out of its full capacity of 24.11 TMCs. The officials released 600 cusecs for power generation, 275 cusecs for Visakhapatnam drinking water needs and 2,500 cusecs for spillway. The total inflows recorded in Yeleru reservoir is 4,033 cusecs out of which 3,375 cusecs were discharged.

Meanwhile, flood waters slowly receded in Konaseema district. People of Kukkunuru and Velerupadu in Eluru district are reaching their villages even as flood waters receded.

They urged the government to settle their R&R package and shift them to rehabilitation colonies as they are not able to bear the flood experiences.