Farmers of Krishna, NTR districts advised to not go for water-intensive crops

Krishna and NTR District Collectors advise farmers to avoid water-intensive crops due to water shortage. Alternative crops will be supplied at subsidised rate. 13.66 tmcft water left in Pulichintala Project, only for drinking purposes. Agriculture dept. officials from both districts present.

P. Rajababu and S. Dilli Rao, Collectors of Krishna and NTR Districts respectively, have advised farmers not to go for water-intensive crops during rabi due to water shortage in reservoirs and deficient rain.

In a joint Irrigation and Agricultural Advisory Board meeting in Vijayawada on November 18 (Saturday), the two Collectors said farmers should go for alternative crops and that they would supply the seeds at a subsidised rate through Rythu Bharosa Kendras.

Addressing the media, Mr. Dilli Rao said, “There is not enough water in the upper catchment area of Krishna river to be supplied for irrigation needs. There is only 26 tmcft water in the Nagarjunasagar Dam and 5 tmcft of it has to be set aside for drinking water needs.”

He added that growing paddy, sugarcane or banana that require a lot of water may cause trouble for farmers, cautioning them against taking such a decision. “Go for pigeon peas, black gram or mirchi instead,” Mr. Dilli Rao told the farmers.

The Collector said Tiruvuru and Gamapalagudem in NTR district have been declared as drought mandals after the A.P. State Disaster Management Authority sent data on rain and storage as on September 30 to Centre. Proposals have been sent to add other mandals to the list too, he said. They are: Vissannapet, A. Konduru, Nandigama, Veerlapadu, Reddygudem, Penuganchiprolu and G. Kondur.

Mr. Rajababu said 151.20 tmcft has been allocated to the Krishna Delta as per the Rabi Action Plan, the said amount cannot be released due to shortage. He said so far 102.32 tmcft has been used, including 44.50 tmcft from Pulichintala project, 36.09 tmcft from Pattiseema Lift Irrigation and 20.73 tmcft through Pulichintala tributaries. “As of yesterday, only 13.66 tmcft water is left in Pulichintala Project, making it difficult to release water for irrigation needs,” Mr. Rajababu said, adding that water will be released only for drinking purposes in the present situation.

Officials of Agriculture department from both the districts were present.