Medak: Farmers block road seeking release of Kondapochamma Sagar water for irrigation

The ryots were protesting for the second consecutive day demanding that the government release water for the Yasangi season

Medak: Farmers of Chinna Shivanur in Chegunta mandal staged a protest blocking the Gajwel-Chegunta road on Tuesday. The farmers demanded that the State government release water from Kondapochamma Sagar to meet the needs of the Yasangi season.

This was the second consecutive day that the farmers in the district were staging a protest demanding water after farmers of Indupriyal of Doulthabad mandal staged a ‘rasta-roko’ on the same road and seeking the release of water, on Monday.

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Traffic came to a standstill on the busy road as farmers blocked the road for two hours. Finally, the police convinced the farmers to withdraw their protest assuring them to take the issue to the notice of the officials concerned.

Irrigation officials Mamatha and Vasudev also heard the demands of the farmers and assured them of taking the issue to the notice of the higher authorities.

The farmers said nearly 1,000 acres of paddy would be saved if irrigation authorities impound Godavari water in the Chinna Shivanur lake.

The farmers pointed out that the farming community was in distress as the groundwater had depleted and there was no water in the lake.

They threatened to stage a massive protest unless the government released the water in the next couple of days.