Despite police warning, farmers drying crop on roads in Karimnagar

In Karimnagar, farmers drying paddy on roads despite warnings cause accidents and traffic hazards. Police issue notices and counsel violators. Lack of drying space and procurement delays force farmers onto roads, highlighting infrastructure gaps and rising crop production challenges

Karimnagar: Despite the police warning, farmers are drying paddy, maize and other agricultural produces on roads, giving troubles to vehiculars. There are incidents of motorists dying in road accidents after hitting paddy heaps in the erstwhile Karimnagar district.

In the wake of an increase in the number of road accidents after hitting paddy heaps, police are creating awareness among farmers about the problems with the crop being dried on roads. Going a step ahead, Jammikunta rural cops are issuing notices to farmers who have not changed their attitude even after counseling.

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Though the practice is everywhere in old Karimnagar, it is high in Veenavanka, Manakondur, Jammikunta, Huzurabad, Shankarapatnam mandals.

Speaking to Telangana Today, a farmer from Narsingapur of Veenavanka mandal, Jangapalli Swamy said that he removed his maize crop after police counseling.

Though it was not correct to dry crop on the road, there is no other alternative left for him since he has no open place either at his field or at home. Swamy dried maize on Veenavanka-Jammikunta four line road.

Another farmer from Pachunur of Manakondur mandal, Rajaiah said that the paddy procurement center was completely filled  even before opening of it. So, he dried crops on the road as there was no space in PPC.

Veenavanka Sub-Inspector, Avula Thirupathi said that so far, about ten farmers were served notices warning them that legal action would be taken if accidents took place due to drying up of crops on roads.

Since roads belonged to the Roads and Buildings department, they could not take action on farmers except giving counseling.

Though R&B officials were also asked to lodge complaints, there was no response from them, he informed and added that they would register cases if complaints were lodged.

Cultivation of paddy in the state especially in old Karimnagar district has increased following the construction of Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. Subsequently, the production of crop has also increased abnormally.

Earlier, farmers used to engage labourers to harvest the crop and shift it to the market only after completely drying in the field itself. Nowadays, drying the crop has become a big problem since harvesters have been engaged to harvest the crop.

It is not possible to dry paddy in the field if the crop was harvested with the help of harvesters.

As the authorities of paddy purchasing centers are asking the farmers to bring the crop to PPCs only after completely drying, farmers are searching for alternate places since a majority of them would not have adequate space in their houses or fields.

In this situation, roads have become an alternative source. In some areas, farmers are reserving roads well in advance by placing empty fertilizer bags as the competition for drying paddy on roads has increased.