Famines have been a common phenomenon for North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, one of the most backward regions of the country.
Although the region witnessed rains in the first week of August, 2009, a complete dry spell in June and July caused unprecedented damage to agricultural activity in three districts. The average annual rainfall is around 1,050 mm in the region of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. But this time, rainfall has not crossed even 400 mm in the ongoing monsoon. Rainfall in November and December is insignificant compared to the rainy season.
Around 23.34 lakh acres of land is available for agriculture needs, and only eight lakh acres have irrigation facility. Unfortunately, agriculture activity has not been witnessed in more than 10 lakh acres this time. Water storage in reservoirs may not be sufficient to last till the next season as over eight rivers out of 16 have almost dried up in the region.
Although groundwater is available in many areas, farmers are unable to bear the expenditure. Many farmers own below five acres of land and are unable to afford borewells. The government sanctions such borewells under Jala Siri programme but those are confined to hardly a few farmers when thousands of villagers are waiting for assured water. Diversion of Godavari waters to the north-coastal region
under Babu Jagjivan Ram Sujala Sravanti programme is the only solution for all problems but it may not become a reality in the foreseeable future with meagre allocations for the prestigious scheme.
Pending projects
"The project needs ₹2,200 crore for phase-1 works but the Y.S. Jagan mohan Reddy government allocated only ₹170 crore in the budget. Allocation for other pending projects like Vamsadhara, Tarakarama Teertha Sagar is also insignificant," said Konatala Ramakrishna, former minister and convener of Uttarandhra Charcha Vedika.
"For all pending projects and modernisation of canals, the government should sanction ₹24,000 crore but total allocation is only ₹700 crore.
North Andhra development remains only on paper if the stepmotherly treatment is continued for Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts," he said.
Lok Satta Party State working president Bhisetti Babji and senior leader Panchadi Rambabu feared that a drought-like situation would lead to further migration of farmers, tenant farmers and labourers from Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. "The State government’s recent policy on sand has already led to the denial of livelihood to thousands of labourers. Now, it is the turn of farmers and agriculture labourers," Mr. Babji told The Hindu .
