Farmers of Vazhikkalachira paddy fields have urged the Velukkara grama panchayat not to close the bund on Perunthode, which brings water from the Kottanellur branch canal to the Vazhikkalachira paddy fields, before the harvest.
“The entire paddy in the 100-odd acres of land, which is ready for harvest in December, will be under water if the bund is closed now,” the farmers say.
Water for puncha
As part of the ‘Haritha Keralam’ and ‘Fallow land-free Thrissur’ projects, the farmers are cultivating paddy in more than 100 acres in the Kannukettichira-Vazhikkalachira paddy fields. The cultivation has been done here from August to December. Usually, the bund will be closed after the harvest to collect water in the vast paddy fields. This will not only ensure water availability in the entire area, but also ensure water for the Puncha cultivation in the nearby paddy fields.
Now the panchayat, citing drinking water scarcity in the area, is planning to close the bund even before harvest.
“At a time when the government is trying hard to ensure food security by encouraging paddy farming, the panchayat officials are torpedoing the effort. If the bund is closed now, the standing crops in the 100-acre fields will be destroyed,” said Lokthanthrik Yuva Janata Dal (LYJD) Thrissur district president Vaxerin Pereppadan, who visited the paddy fields.
In a similar incident two years ago, more than 50 acres of paddy at Ayyan Padikkal in Aloor panchayat was destroyed. The panchayat officials should immediately withdraw the move to close the bund at the Vazhikkalachira paddy fields, he demanded.
