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Kurnool: Farmers rejoice after downpours

Rainfall mitigates drought-like situation.

KURNOOL: Heavy rains have brought about a new found enthusiasm among farmers of drought hit Rayalaseema districts. The Department of Water Resources is gung-ho about water conservation efforts giving the desired results to some extent. Tanks which used to be mainstay of agriculture during the reign of previous rulers is again giving hope to the spirits of the farmers in the region. Tank irrigation got a boost with bountiful showers in Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa. The copious amouts of rain that lashed the Rayalaseema districts in the last couple of days filled the tanks upto the brim in most of the mandals.
Anjanappa, a farmer in Puttaparthi said that they were delighted to see the tank get full level of water. “I think we can have grow good crops next season irrespective of the seasonal rains,” he said.

“The recent downpour has a positive factor in Rayalaseema districts,” said Bojja Dasarath Reddy, President of Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi. However, he added that the government never made any concrete plans to get structures ready to hold back the flood waters. He was referring to Gandikota reservoir, Gorakallu reservoir, Handri, Sunkesula and Gundrevula reservoirs in Kurnool districts. He said that we have been made passive observers to the large amount of water going down the drain without having any mechanism to store it for the future, he added.

With the October rains, the districts of Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool received good rains with Gooty recording 13.9 cm on Thursday. The digging of farm ponds and constructing check dams in a big way helped in improving the ground water table in the Rayalaseema region. Water harvesting structures built on the streams can be used as reservoirs, Anantapaur District Collector Veerapandyan said that the district water table has recorded some of the rich measures which augurs well for the farmers in the coming season.

“Kadapa district too got a shot in the arm with most of the tanks getting filled up partially to half the level of the total capacity of tanks,” said N. Tulasi Reddy, a Congress leader. It is understood that the Neeru Chettu mission if taken up in good earnest, is likely to improve the tanks capacity to retain good amount of water. There is an urgent need to take up minor irrigation tank repairs, check dam construction, clearing of tank feeders including drains and links, excavation of farm ponds, desilting of drains and canals and development of cascasdes would bring good dividends to the farmers.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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