Sand deposits in farm fields put Khammam farmers in quandary

A large extent of agricultural lands on the banks of Munneru, Akeru and Palair streams in the district have been damaged due to huge quantities of sand deposited in the fields

Khammam: Farmers who lost crops following recent rains and flash floods are facing another problem in the form of sand deposits in their agriculture fields.

A large extent of agricultural lands on the banks of Munneru, Akeru and Palair streams in the district have been damaged due to huge quantities of sand deposited in the fields.

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Sand deposits have been causing problems to farmers on two counts, firstly they lost standing crops and secondly the soil structure has been altered.

Agriculture fields where once crops like paddy, cotton and chilli stood, now looking like mounds of sand. Many farmers are worried that it might take them two or three years to recover from the loss.

Speaking to Telangana Today, CPM’s Telangana Rythu Sangham leader Bhukya Veerabharam explained that a farmer has to spend approximately Rs 2 lakh to clear sand deposits in the farm fields and restore the land to its original form by filling the fields with black soil.

But the Central team that recently toured flood affected areas reportedly told the farmers that there is no provision to compensate the loss caused by sand deposits.

As many as 2700 acres of land has been affected by sand deposits across the district, he said. Farmers are in dire straits as they could not find any means to pay the debts they took to invest in farming, to pay for fees for their children’s education and arrange money to marry off girls in their families.

Farmers are yet to receive compensation of Rs 10, 000 per acre announced by the State government. The State and Central governments should immediately provide proper compensation and provide assistance to remove sand deposits, Veerabhadram demanded.

A farmer Avireni Veerabhadram of Kasna Tanda said he cultivated paddy and chilli each in two acres of land and cotton in one acre by investing around Rs 6 six lakh. Sand has been accumulated in four acres of land fully damaging the crops, he lamented.

Similarly, farmers Gaddam Narayana and Vuribandi Chandraiah said that they lost crops in Akeru floods including irrigation pump sets. The Central team visited the fields 20 days ago but the promised assistance is yet to be provided, they complained.