Gritty villagers of Nizamabad face flood fury

Hyderabad: These villagers are a gritty lot! At least 400 families in Hangarga and Bikanelli villages in Bodhan, Nizamabad district, are undaunted even in the face of flood waters that gush around the two villages located at the confluence point of three rivers – Godavari and its two tributaries Manjeera and Pasupu. Though they put […]

Hyderabad: These villagers are a gritty lot! At least 400 families in Hangarga and Bikanelli villages in Bodhan, Nizamabad district, are undaunted even in the face of flood waters that gush around the two villages located at the confluence point of three rivers – Godavari and its two tributaries Manjeera and Pasupu. Though they put up a brave front when it comes to personal safety, the families, predominantly farming community, could do little to save their agriculture fields from getting inundated due to the torrential rains that lashed the State from Sunday.

Over 2,000 acres inundated

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Over 2,500 acres of agriculture land – part of them in neighbouring Maharashtra – was inundated when backwaters from Manjeera River entered their fields for a second time this monsoon.

In the first week of September, backwaters from Manjeera River were about to enter the fields but the timely action taken by Revenue and Irrigation department officials prevented flooding of the fields. The 20 cm rain that lashed the area on Sunday and Monday, however, made it difficult for the officials to prevent inundation.

“We could not prevent the inundation of fields due to the impact of nature’s fury,” Bodhan Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) S Rajeshwar told Telangana Today. He said efforts were on to prepare a detailed report on crop damage that would be submitted to the district administration.

Plans have also been chalked out to find a permanent solution to the problem which the villagers had witnessed in 2006, 2016 and 2021, he said. “Manjeera turns into backwaters at the point where it meets Godavari on account of the strong current in the latter in such situations, and these two villages are bang at the confluence point,” he said.

Even in waist-deep water, the villagers go about their daily chores with the help of ropes and sticks. Fortunately for them, the two villages are at a higher altitude that prevents water from flooding their houses.

Irrigation department officials including Sriram Sagar Project Assistant Executive Engineer K Ravi Kotha visited the affected places in Hangarga and Bikanelli villages.

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