ALAPPUZHA: In the Chithira paddy field, which had been lying barren for more than two decades, the paddy cultivation which was started a month ago, has made the over 400 acre land look like a lush green carpet.
The earnest efforts of district administration and hard work of some of the farmers of the Kuttanad region helped the Agricultural Department conduct paddy cultivation in the paddy polder after 20 years. The land, which was reclaimed by Kayal King Murickan, had become barren owing to encroachments by mussel miners. Following this, huge trenches had appeared in the paddy land due to mining.
Eventually, last January, the district administration and Agriculture Department initiated steps to begin farming in the barren lands Rani and Chithira.
The officials, with the help of farmers, turned 406 acre land in the 715 acre paddy polder cultivable. District Collector N Padmakumar said that the remaining 300 acre land in the paddy polder will be levelled and farming will commence next season.
In an effort to make the barren lands yield again, the Agricultural Department had distributed about 20 tonne ‘Uma’ paddy seeds for sowing. A sum of Rs 24 crore had been utilised from the Kuttanad package for the purpose.
Meanwhile, a sum of Rs 90 lakh has been utilised for drawing electric line to the paddy polder and the Padasekhra Samithi has utilised around Rs 4 crore for faming, said Padasekhra Samithi secretary Jose Joe Venganthara.
Padmakumar said that the efforts to construct outer bunds are progressing in the paddy polder, adding that 98 per cent of the works had been completed in the Chithira polder. “We are planning to conduct paddy farming in Rani in the next season as well,” he said.