UNHAPPY LOT: Farmers plucking paddy stalks to assess the damage caused by inundation of fields Mudinepalli in Krishna district on Tuesday. PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

MUDINEPALLI: Farmers and agricultural labourers in many stretches of the Krishna delta ran out of work as heavy rain during the past three days left paddy fields in Mudinepalli, Pamarru and other areas inundated. Theirs was a case of the problem of plenty after years of drought and lack of water supply through canals.

Clueless farmers simply watched from the bunds, as the standing crop was getting putrefied in knee-deep waters that flowed in and remained stagnant due to obstructions in the outlets. They could not even try to use pumpsets to drain out in the face of rainwater trickling down from upper reaches.

The fields were green with paddy standing 3-ft tall, but they would not sway in the breeze. The stagnant water began causing the damage already and the outward sight was only flattering to deceive. Even if the blocks were cleared and water drained out on its own, only 50 per cent of the crop can be saved.

Pande Mohan Rao was a happy farmer till a few days ago, when the paddy crop in his field showed a healthy growth. In three days, all his hopes of good yield lay shattered. He cultivated the crop in five acres at Chinapalaparru near Mudinepalli. "It may be looking outwardly. The stalks are getting putrefied at the bottom. I don't think I can reap 50 per cent of the harvest," he says.

Pitiable picture

A 20-acre field, which was submerged totally under water, presented a pitiable picture. As per official reports, the crop was submerged in an extent of 2,500 hectares in Mudinepalli, 1,500 hectares in Mandavalli and 100 hectares in Gudivada areas. There would be damage if water would not recede in the next 10 to 15 days.

However, Uppala Venkateswara Rao who was cultivating paddy in five acres gave a dismal account.

"The damage is already done. Water has been standing for four days. I wonder if water recedes in two to three days. The flow through outlets is totally blocked," he pointed out.

Farmers in this area carried out transplantation in July and were hoping to get the harvest towards the end of October.

In some areas, they went for transplantation late and were expecting yield in December.

This kind of problem due to standing water did not confront farmers for many years now and they could cultivate it well even during the years when there was no supply in the canals. "We could use pump sets and draw water from the drains.

Now, there is water everywhere. We are not even able to drain out standing water using pump sets," said Mr. Rao.

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