NELLORE: It might sound strange, but is true. While one set of farmers in the district are pleading for the clouds to gather, while some others are not at all looking for the rain.

With the rain playing hide and seek with farmers for the last few months in Nellore district, the showers promise to bring much cheer to ryots belonging to the upland areas. Dry conditions have affected agricultural operations to a great extent in almost all mandals in the district.

Drought-like conditions have been prevailing in 40 out of 46 mandals in the district. The district received only 86 mm of rainfall from June 1 to August 28, against the normal rainfall of 201.3 mm, according to Agriculture Department officials.

Delta ryots jittery

However, for delta farmers, rain will spell doom since they have sown paddy in around 2 lakh acres of land as the second crop. "Rain at this juncture will damage their crop, which was almost ready for cutting," said a senior official.

It may be recalled that around 50 tmcft of water was stored in the Somasila project due to last year's floods in Penna river, in which 25tmcft of water was utilised for the first crop. The delta farmers later mounted pressure on the Agriculture Department officials to release rest of the water for the second crop.

Water from Somasila

When the matter was taken to the notice of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, he directed the officials to release water for the second crop during his visit to the district for the Pallebata programme. Accordingly, water from the Somasila project was released from Kanigiri, Sarvepalli and Nellore reservoirs besides from South and Eastern canals, Ramanna canal, Kanupuru and Paideru escape canals for farmers in the district.

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