3 weeks ago
Farmers Sow Paddy Extensively Despite Advice After Heavy Rains
In a place called Kadam in India, it did not rain for a long time — almost 45 days.
The farmers were worried because their rice plants, called paddy, needed water.
Suddenly, heavy rains came, and everyone got excited.
Farmers quickly started planting their rice again on a very big farm area.
But the government helpers told them not to plant rice this time, because there may not be enough water due to something called El Nino, which changes the weather.
They wanted farmers to grow other crops like pulses instead.
The farmers planted rice anyway, because rice is their main crop.
Some farmers even blocked the road to ask for water for their fields.
Now everyone is waiting to see if there will be enough water for all the rice plants.
Paddy plantation has resumed across the roughly 66,000-acre Kadam ayacut after heavy rains ended a nearly 45-day dry spell.
Farmers are cultivating paddy anyway, ignoring agriculture officials' advice to grow pulses or other alternative crops due to El Nino-linked water shortage.
Irrigation officials released inflows from the Kadam project into the downstream Sripada Yellampalli project to store water for drinking purposes.
Some Tapalpur farmers, including Kammala Vijaya Dharma, staged a rasta roko demanding immediate release of water into the Kadam project's left canal.
MLAs Vedma Bojju and Premsagar Rao were set to officially release water into the left canal, but only for 30,000 acres, likely leaving tail-end farmers without water.
Paddy planting is in full swing in Utnoor, Kadam, Jannaram, Dandepalli and Luxettipet areas of Nirmal and Mancherial districts.
- Who
- Farmers across the Kadam ayacut, irrigation and agriculture officials, and MLAs Vedma Bojju and Premsagar Rao.
- What
- Paddy plantation resumed on around 66,000 acres after heavy rains ended a 45-day dry spell, despite official advice to grow alternative crops.
- Where
- The Kadam ayacut area covering Utnoor, Kadam, Jannaram, Dandepalli and Luxettipet in Nirmal and Mancherial districts.
- When
- During the current Kharif season, after recently received heavy rains; a farmers' protest and scheduled water release occurred on consecutive Friday and Saturday.
- Why
- Farmers want to save their paddy crops after the dry spell and secure irrigation water, while officials warned of water shortages due to the El Nino effect.
Farmers
Government Officials
Crop selection for Kharif
Farmers
Farmers raised paddy nurseries and are transplanting saplings despite warnings, insisting on growing paddy after the rains arrived.
Government Officials
Agriculture officials advised farmers against paddy and recommended pulses or alternative crops because of water shortage and lack of rains due to El Nino.
Use of reservoir water
Farmers
Farmers demand immediate release of Kadam project water into the left canal to save already sown paddy, staging protests like the Tapalpur rasta roko.
Government Officials
Irrigation officials say water stored in reservoirs is reserved for drinking water supply, releasing inflows to Sripada Yellampalli for drinking purposes.
Key facts
- Irrigation area
- Around 66,000 acres (Kadam ayacut)
- Dry spell
- Nearly 45 days
- Crops advised by officials
- Pulses and other alternative crops
- Districts affected
- Nirmal and Mancherial
- Key areas
- Utnoor, Kadam, Jannaram, Dandepalli, Luxettipet
- Planned water release
- Only for 30,000 acres via the left canal
- Cause of shortage
- El Nino effect
- Protest
- Rasta roko by Tapalpur farmers demanding left canal water
Quotes
Agriculture labourer Bhagya
Agriculture labourer in the region
“"Paddy planting has just begun after a long wait for rains in Seethanagar, Bogadaguda in Kagaznagar mandal. Transplantation of paddy saplings has also picked up in the Sirpur (T) assembly constituency."”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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