SANGAREDDY: With as many as 41 of the 46 mandals in Medak district reeling under acute water shortage, District Collector Rahul Bojja has prepared a report, recommending the government to declare the district as drought-hit. The comprehensive report includes a recent survey conducted by the district administration to assess the agricultural loss. The report will be sent to the Chief Minister shortly.
According to the district authorities, the agricultural sector has suffered a loss of around `500 crore due to the shortage of rainfall. Though crop planting has halved from 4,69,280 hectares to 2,50,000 hectares this year, even reduced farming activity didn’t help the farmers to save the crops. A random survey conducted by the agriculture department revealed that 80 per cent of the crops wilted causing severe loss to the farming sector.
According to the report, the situation in Sangareddy, Sadhasivapet, Kohir, Kondapaka, and Ramachandra puram is better compared to other mandals. Officials said that these mandals have received 85 per cent of normal rainfall.
Even farmers in these mandals are also demanding to include their mandals in the list of drought affected mandals as crops have dried up in these areas also. The district had achieved surplus production during last Kharif season as the region received excessive rainfall.
According to the officials, majority of the crops have wilted as the farmers were unable to irrigate their fields. Besides this 15,000 hectares of jowar and pulses also wilted.
The officials said that erratic rainfall was the reason for the present situation.
Besides shortage of rainfall, long hours of power cuts also added to the woes of the farmers. JDA B Hukya naik advised farmers in the district to cultivate alternative crops, which can endure water scarcity.