AMALAPURAM: Amalapuram in BR Ambedkar Konaseema district is known for its coconut groves. However, the trees in 11 villages, spread across 25 km in the district, now resemble lifeless pillars. Saltwater entering the groves due to illegal sand mining by private contractors has been reported to be the reason for the withering of coconut trees in P Gannavaram, Sakhinetipalli, and Malikipuram mandals.
Besides, aquaculture done using brackish water is also said to be another cause for the slow death of coconut trees in the picturesque Konaseema region.The district has 11,861 aqua ponds in 35,154 acres. Of the total, cultivation in 23,128 acres is done with fresh water, while the rest of the area is under brackish water aqua cultivation.
The increase in aquaculture and the use of brackish water has adversely affected agriculture. Even though fresh water is used in some of the aquaculture ponds, chemicals and medicines used for aquaculture have a negative impact on soil fertility.
Further, salt water flowing through the villages and stagnating in low-lying areas of cultivable lands has disrupted the livelihood of people dependent on coconut groves.It has been estimated that soil fertility in about 25 kilometres of land has been damaged due to unrestrained sand mining.
As a result, farmers in Sankaraguptam, Padamatipalem, Kesanapalli, Turpupalem, Gollapalem, Pallipalem, Gudapalli and Gubbalapalem villages in Malkipuram mandal have been facing several issues.
A drain in Sankaraguptam connects the eight main villages in Malikipuram. It is laid between Gogannamattam and Kesavadasupalem villages. When the sea has high tides, the salt water and drain water enter into nearby villages as the drain has no revetment wall. As a result around 1.80 lakh coconut trees are affected in 3,000 acres, while more than 2,000 trees are on verge of withering due to salt water stagnation.
“Lack of a revetment wall and stagnation of sea water has led to several farmers incurring severe losses,” Mane Garudachalam, a farmer from Kesanapalli, rued and blamed the government’s negligence for the situation. Last month, sarpanches from the eight villages in Malikipuram informed authorities about the damage caused to coconut trees.
Human Rights Foundation (HRF) leader Mutyala Srinivasa Rao alleged that norms of Coastal Regulation Zone were being violated and sand mining was going on unchecked, resulting in the crisis being faced today. “Once fertile, the land is now being rendered useless. Who should be held responsible,” he said.
According to the district Horticulture officer, N Mallikarjuna Rao, over 150 hectares of coconut crop was damaged due to seawater entering the groves in Malikipuram mandal. The government had already constituted a committee, comprising horticulture, irrigation and agriculture scientists. A report, stating that high salinity was the cause for the damage to coconut trees, was submitted. Konaseema district joint collector Dyana Chandra said efforts will be taken to control illicit sand mining.