The widespread rain across Prakasam district revived the hopes of farmers in the drought-prone district and they now look at raising crops in the maximum extent in this kharif season. The rain came at an opportune time ending the dry spell witnessed during the early phase of the southwest monsoon.
The incessant rain under the influence of cyclonic circulation over west central Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Coastal Andhra Pradesh brought relief to the people who were reeling under the impact of severe heat due to extended summer.
The ryots coming under the Kommamuru canal and Nagarjunasagar right bank canal have started preparing their land to grow paddy and other irrigated dry crops in a big way and avoid the situation of leaving their land fallow for the fifth year in succession.
The crop coverage which was 31% of the normal acreage of 2.26 lakh hectares was likely to pick up in a fortnight, said Agriculture Joint Director P.V. Sriramamurthy.
The present wet spell is highly beneficial to standing cotton, chilli and other crops. The extent under red gram so far was 32,300 hectares. It is likely to go up to 1 lakh hectare during kharif.
Fresh low pressure
Meanwhile, weathermen predicted formation of a fresh low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal.
The district received an average rainfall of 28.2 mm on Saturday, said officials. Santamaguluru received a maximum rainfall of 80.2 mm followed by Ballikurava 70.2 mm, Addanki 68.2 mm, Yerragondapalem 65 mm, Karamchedu 63.4 mm, Inkollu 61.2 mm, Darsi 60.6 mm and Ongole 20.8 mm.
Irrigation department officials should ensure release of Krishna water in fullscale from Prakasam barrage as the river was in spate following heavy rain in the catchment areas, a farmer leader from Karamchedu J. Anil Babu said.
Meanwhile, CPI(M)-led Kavulu Rythu Sangham district secretary P.Hanumantha Rao demanded release of 60 tmcft of Krishna water on a priority basis to irrigate the land coming under the NSP in the district, which had missed its quota of assured water in the previous years.
