The promises of State government and APNPDCL of protecting the standing crops notwithstanding, the farmers are in distress with half of the crop withering away.
According to farmers in Kilashapur and Govardhanagiri villages, it was only since five days the NPDCL has been giving five hours power but there was severe problem for about one month during which the crops withered away.
Edla Mallesham raised five acres of paddy crop. He saw the crop in two acres withering away due to inadequate water supply. “There is no power. I was tense and immediately I invested Rs. 80,000 and installed tractor motor to save crop,” he explained.
Desolate Aruri Narasaiah of Kilashapur village says he raised one-and-a-half acre paddy of which crop in one acre has gone dry. He also raised 2.10 acres of maize which was totally lost. “I don’t have land. I took it on lease and invested Rs. 16,000 for paddy and Rs. 85,000 for maize. How do I recover it now,” he wonders.
According to him, there was enough water in nearby tanks but there was no way to divert the same. “There is no problem for water. But, there is no power. Since last Wednesday, we are getting five hours of power supply. The precious time is lost,” he wails.
When contacted, APNPDCL superintending engineer V. Mohan Rao admitted that crops in some parts withered away. “There was some problem previously but we rectified it now. I cannot say the crop is lost entirely due to shortage of power supply. There is no groundwater in some villages as well,” he pointed out.
Edla Mallesham counters the argument stating that since the Aswaraopalli reservoir came up, there was full groundwater level in surrounding villages. “There is no power but there is groundwater,” he asserts.
The farmers in the district were trying their best including weird ways to protect their crops that comes to harvest in a month. Majority of them are in for a big shock going by the state of affairs.
