Sequel to early release of water
Paddy transplantation is being taken up at double the normal pace in Krishna Delta with Pattiseema water being supplied early this khariff season.
The Andhra Pradesh government in a conscious and path-breaking decision released water to the Krishna at the end of June. In the absence of Pattiseema, Krishna Delta farmers had to wait for their turn to get water which reached them often in August and sometimes as late as September only after all the reservoirs upstream were filled.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced on July 15, the birth anniversary of K.L. Rao, that water would be released to Krishna Delta every year on June 1. The promise made by the Chief Minister cannot be fulfilled without the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. The Godavari flood begins towards the end of May. And water could be pumped from the Godavari basin to the Krishna basin with the scheme.
The early release of water has put transplantation in the fast forward mode. The Agriculture Department keeps track of the area that is normally sown on a weekly basis. While paddy was ‘normally’ sown in just 32 % of the earmarked area till date (week ending on July 26) the area sown this season was 200% of normal in Krishna district. While paddy was sown in just 27,670 aces last year, it was sown in 75,542 acres this year in the district.
Similarly, while paddy was transplanted in a normal of 9% in Guntur district, sowing was completed in 180 % of the normal this year. Transplantation is high even in West Godavari where 160% of normal area was covered as on date. This was mainly because, the district got water from the Godavari on June 1 itself this year. Out of the 25.19 tmcft utilised by Krishna Delta since June 1, as much as 22 tmcft was from Pattiseema, Irrigation Engineer J. Subramanyeswara Rao said. Thanks to the early release of water, transplantation and direct sowing of paddy could be completed in 2,78,062 acres in Krishna delta. While paddy was transplanted in 1,83,603 acres, it was directly sown in 41,284 acres, he said.