Sudden rains due to the impact of Cyclone Nivar came as a shock to the farmers of the district. Crops in various mandals in rural areas have been reportedly affected due to the rains for the last two days. Most of the crop which were damaged, were about to be harvested.
According to sources, a number of paddy fields in various villages of Atchutapuram, Payakaraopeta, Rambilli, Yelamanchali, Butchayyapeta, Anakapalle (Rural), Nakkapalle and a few other mandals have been damaged. It was learnt that paddy crop was most affected followed by banana, sugarcane and a few others.
In the city limits, agricultural crops in various villages in Anandapuram and Padmanabham mandals were affected. Officials have been inspecting the damages and are yet to give a consolidated report.
It may be remembered that due to the rains caused by the influence of deep depression in October, 13,135 farmers from 285 villages in 30 mandals of the district were affected. Crops in 5,795 hectares of were inundated.
Meanwhile, a number of roads, streetlights, electric poles and a few other properties of the civic body were also damaged due to the rain and winds.
GVMC Chief Engineer M. Venkateswara Rao said that Engineering Department officials from all the zones have been asked to inspect and prepare a report on losses by Saturday. The GVMC had suffered losses to the tune of about ₹15 crore due to rains in October.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) Visakha District Committee has demanded payment of compensation to farmers, who lost their crops in the rains due to Cyclone Nivar.
Party District Committee secretary K. Lokanadham said in a statement here on Friday that the officials have declared that the paddy crop in 10,500 acres in the district was submerged in the rain water. The crop was in the harvesting stage and suffered maximum damage. He demanded payment of compensation, without trying to reduce the loss by showing technical reasons.
The farmers and tenant farmers should be paid ₹25,000 an acre for paddy, ₹60,000 for sugarcane and ₹50,000 for horticulture crops, he said.
