Heavy rains hit aquaculture, paddy, horticulture

Aquaculture in Konaseema, and paddy, horticulture in the entire East Godavari district were damaged due to heavy rains for the last six days.

The farmers who ventured into Vanami variety prawn culture for the last one year in coastal belt, particularly from Uppada, Kakinada Rural, Tallarevu, I. Polavaram, Katrenikona, Uppalaguptam, Allavaram, Mamidikuduru, Malikipuram and Sakhinetipalli, have lost hopes about their seed which is growing fast till last week.

Prawn culture is being cultivated in about 30,000 acres in these mandals.

Ponds inundated

As a result of incessant rains, all the saltwater ponds were inundated by sweet water and prawns in ponds started dying or getting infected. “We are expecting a very good yield this year but rains played havoc on prawn culture this time and we are going to lose almost 50 per cent of the crop,” said Devisetti Suribabu of Allavaram, who is cultivating prawn in 25 acres of land which was agriculture land in the past. There are another 50,000 acres in the above mandals where fresh water small fish is being cultivated.

“As a result of merging of saline water with fresh water, the growth of small fish will come down drastically,” said a senior official in Fisheries department.

Paddy, horticulture

Paddy and horticulture crops to the tune of 67,216 hectares are damaged in the East Godavari due to heavy rains in the last six days.

Banana and other horticulture gardens were damaged in Kothapeta, Ravulapalem areas and vegetable fields in Seethanagaram, Diwancheruvu, Korukonda and Rajanagaram mandals were completely inundated.

Water flows on runway

Flight services from Rajahmundry Airport were cancelled as runway was partially inundated due to heavy rains on Sunday. Jet Airways cancelled its services to Hyderabad and Chennai whereas Spice et cancelled its flight to Hyderabad.

Earlier, flight of Jet Airways which came to Rajahmundry airport from Hyderabad had to return after making rounds in the air as Airport authorities did not give clearance as runway was inundated partially.