Farmers Oppose Call to Avoid Paddy in Rabi Season

Karimnagar: Farmers have opposed the state government's appeal to avoid cultivating water-intensive crops such as paddy during the Rabi season, citing the lack of viable alternatives and the difficulties they face in protecting standing crops.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao and other ministers had urged farmers to avoid paddy cultivation, warning of severe water scarcity over the next nine to 10 months due to the El Nino conditions.

Critically low water levels in irrigation projects across the state have also prompted the appeal.

However, farmers, already struggling to protect standing crops because of inadequate rainfall and irregular power supply, say agriculture is the only occupation they know.

Ramidi Chinna Mallaiah, a farmer from Thadijerri village in Gangadhara mandal, told Deccan Chronicle that his family had depended on agriculture for years and questioned what alternative work farmers could take up if they stopped cultivation.

He said paddy and cotton were among the few viable crops available to them amid financial difficulties.

Farmers were also reluctant to cultivate vegetables, pulses, maize and other crops because monkeys were damaging standing crops, he said.

The government, he said, should first address the monkey menace before advising farmers to shift to other crops.

Another farmer, M. Rajamallaiah, urged the government to provide an alternative livelihood or viable cropping option before asking farmers to stop cultivation.

The government made a similar appeal before the Kharif season, but farmers went ahead with paddy cultivation on a large scale.

They are now facing difficulties because of poor rainfall and the lack of canal water.

Irregular power supply has compounded their problems, with standing paddy and cotton crops withering in several areas.

The Sri Ram Sagar, the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme and the Sripada Yellampalli project are the main irrigation water sources for the erstwhile Karimnagar district.

Under the present circumstances, the Kaleshwaram water cannot be utilised for irrigation.

The SRSP has only 39tmc ft of water available, and the levels are expected to decline further, as around 11,000 cusecs are being released through various canals to protect standing crops.

The available water may therefore be insufficient for irrigation beyond the current requirements, with priority being given to drinking water needs.

Although the Sripada Yellampalli project holds 18tmc of water, the supplies are earmarked for Hyderabad, NTPC and other requirements.