After four days of heavy rains under the influence of Cyclone Mandous, the weather returned to normal on Tuesday enabling the district administration to properly assess losses inflicted by the natural calamity.
Visiting the worst-affected farms in Manubolu mandal, Nellore Collector K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu assured farmers who lost their recently transplanted paddy seedlings to the cyclone-induced rains that they would be provided with subsidised seeds to raise crops during this Rabi season.
“The natural calamity was successfully handled by putting on alert all officials concerned. ‘There has been no loss of life or major damage to property. The administrative machinery would have to remain vigilant as another weather system is likely to develop between December 20 and 23,” he added.
A comprehensive report on the rain damage would be prepared in a week’s time to take up repairs to water tanks and village roads, he said.
Liberal compensation would be provided to farmers and also to those who have been shifted to relief camps, he told a group of people at Gurvindapudi village as they poured out their woes following submergence of paddy fields for over three days.
‘‘Seeds with 80% subsidy will be provided so that they can raise crops afresh during this winter itself,” he promised.
With major reservoirs including Somasila and Kandaleru brimming with water, farmers have taken up paddy cultivation in a big way in the district during Rabi. Over 400 of 748 water tanks in the district have been filled to full capacity. The rest of the water bodies had more than 50% water storage in them, he said.
