Ensure Irrigation Water for Kharif Crops, Officials Told

Kakinada:Zilla Parishad chairman Vipparthi Venugopal Rao has directed officials to ensure adequate irrigation water for Kharif crops, stressing the need to avoid shortages amid El Nino conditions.

The direction came at the final meeting of the Zilla Parishad executive body of undivided East Godavari district, constituted after the 2021 local body elections. Venugopal Rao presided over the meeting in Kakinada on Friday.

He said 21 general body meetings had been held since 2021 and that the development journey during the five-year term had focused on public welfare. He described the final session as satisfactory.

District collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad said the district, having achieved food security, was now promoting healthy natural farming practices. Keeping Sri Lanka’s experience in mind, the administration was gradually reducing the use of chemical fertilisers instead of making an abrupt shift, he said.

Millets and cereal crops were being cultivated under natural farming methods across 7,000 hectares, the Collector said. He added that water availability was favourable for the Kharif season and that water was being released gradually to the 53,000 acres under the Yeleru Reservoir ayacut, with the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan.

With the Polavaram Left Main Canal works nearing completion, plans would be implemented to prevent irrigation-related difficulties for farmers in the future, he said.

MLC Perabathula Rajasekhar said elected representatives should work with accountability irrespective of political affiliations and urged women representatives to take the initiative in resolving issues in their respective mandals.

Another MLC, Kudipudi Suryanarayana, said canal bunds were facing increasing encroachments and called for their immediate removal to strengthen the bunds.