Rains Damage Standing Crops in Karimnagar District

Recent heavy rains have damaged standing crops in parts of the erstwhile Karimnagar district, with cotton, paddy and vegetable fields inundated and sand deposits affecting cultivation.

Cotton and paddy crops spread over about 50 acres were damaged in Lakkaram and Oded villages of Peddapalli district after rainwater flooded agricultural fields. Farmers alleged that the flooding was caused by the absence of culverts and pipelines along National Highway-363 (Vijayawada–Warangal–Mancherial–Nagpur), preventing rainwater from draining away.

According to farmers, around 30 acres of crops were affected in Oded and another 20 acres in Lakkaram. They submitted a representation to Mutharam Tahsildar B. Madhusudhan Reddy, who assured them that the issue would be brought to the notice of the district collector.

The farmers alleged that the damage resulted from the negligence of the National Highways contractor and officials, and sought compensation from the government.

In Manthani rural mandal, paddy fields in Mallaram and Arenda villages were also submerged due to the absence of drainage pipelines along the embankment constructed beside the Godavari river.

Farmers said their fields were already prone to submergence from the backwaters of the Annaram Barrage under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme. Although a sidewall had been built between Mallaram and Arenda, they alleged that no pipelines had been provided to drain rainwater flowing from nearby villages into the river, resulting in inundation of agricultural lands. They urged officials to install pipelines to prevent recurring damage.

Meanwhile, sand deposits were reported in paddy fields in Palakurthi mandal following the rains.

Vegetable crops also suffered extensive damage in Jagtial district. According to preliminary estimates, tomato crop was affected in 130 acres, ridge gourd, bottle gourd and bitter gourd in 200 acres, brinjal in 40 acres, ladyfinger in 60 acres and leafy vegetables in 90 acres.