Thanks to water scarcity in the Krishna river reservoirs, delta farmers may have to go for direct sowing of paddy this year.
Áccording to Irrigation Department records, the earliest date for release of water to the Krishna delta in the past two decades was way back in 1994: June 7. Last year, water was delayed with the department managing to open the head sluice only on August 5, two months late. But in most other years, release of water to the Krishna delta took place June 15. This year, the government has written a letter to the Krishna River Management Board to release 10 tmc ft from Nagarjunasagar from June 12 for drinking water needs in delta villages and to enable raising of seed beds. But going by the current levels of water in different upstream reservoirs, that’s an unlikely possibility.
Rythanga Samakya president and former State Drainage Board member Yerneni Nagendranath said it would be better for farmers not to expect water from the reservoirs this year. “I personally recommend paddy farmers to opt for direct seeding of paddy instead of the conventional puddled transplanting. In such a scenario, losses will be minimal if rains fail to arrive on time,” he said.
Mr Nagendranath said precious water was wasted on raising an unauthorised crop in a small area and now farmers from the entire Krishna delta and upland areas irrigated by NSP have to go without a crop.
The Farmers Association said the government did not have the wisdom to store a few tmcft in the incomplete Pulichintala project. The Rythu Sangham said ryots were confused about what they should do. The government usually announces kharif plans in the June first week, but this year nothing has been done so far.
