Floods destroy standing crops in nearly 500 acres of land in Yadgir, Raichur

Krishna river has entered agricultural fields destroying standing crops in Surpur taluk.

Floods in the Krishna have destroyed several hundred acres of agricultural fields in Yadgir and Raichur districts.

Standing crops in approximately 500 acres of land have been damaged in the floods in the two districts. On Thursday, officials of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited discharged 4.06 lakh cusecs water from Basavasagar Reservoir into the river course by 5 p.m. when 4.10 lakh cusecs was the inflow at reservoir.

The water level in the reservoir stands at 489.61 m against a full reservoir level of 492.25 m, officials said.

Several hundred acres of agricultural fields in many villages on the Krishna riverbank in Lingsugur, Raichur and Deodurg taluks and also Tintani, Shellagi, Mushtalli, Hemmadagi, Addodagi, Karnal, Chowdeshwarihal, Hemanur, Sugur, Bevinal, Aralahalli and Devapur villages in Surpur taluk of Yadgir district, where farmers have sown paddy, cotton and red gram, have been destroyed.

Many of the pumpsets set up to lift water from the river to the fields are said to have been washed away in the flowing water.

Bridges constructed in Gurjapur village in Raichur taluk and in Kollur-Huvinadagi are submerged in the river waters. The famous Chaya Bhagavathi temple is surrounded by waters and archaks are worshipping the goddess from outside the temple.

A bridge, which connects the mainland to Neelakantarayanagaddi Island near Kakkera in Hunsagi taluk of Yadgir district, is submerged and people are forced to stay on the island.

The district administration should conduct a survey on damaged crops and send an immediate report to the State government recommending compensation to farmers, State convenor of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Mallikarjun Satyampet told The Hindu .