With no water in ponds, Mahabubabad farmers, fishermen look for help from Govt

Due to breaching of water bodies, there is no water for either irrigation or fishing in many villages in the district leaving villagers in distress. In the flood, most of the fish in the district were washed away

Mahabubabad: The breaching of ponds and lakes during the recent rains has caused heavy losses to farmers and fishermen in the district. Due to breaching of water bodies, there is no water for either irrigation or fishing in many villages in the district leaving villagers in distress. In the flood, most of the fish in the district were washed away.

Take the case of Aleru Pedda Cheruvu in Nellikudur mandal of the district, which breached due to heavy rain on August 31 is left with no water. The pond has an ayacut of 685 acres and now the farmers who were dependent on it for water have no option but to forget the Rabi season as there is no source of water to take up cultivation.

---

Apart from farmers, about 50 fishermen families are dependent on the pond for fishing and now that there is no water left and all the fish and fishlings have gone in the flood water, they have no source of livelihood. Sources say the Fisheries Department released fishlings worth Rs.4.5 lakh in the Pedda Cheruvu and the fishermen were expecting fish worth Rs.12 lakh, but as the pond has breached, all their hopes have shattered.

Even Peddabandham pond situated in Mahabubabad mandal has breached and there is no water in it. The pond used to provide water for cultivation in over 300 acres, but since the entire water has drained, the farmers are in trouble as they have to look for alternative sources to take up Rabi cultivation. About 110 fishermen families dependent on the pond for livelihood are left in the lurch. The Fisheries officials have released fishlings worth Rs.2 lakh in the pond in June and the fish would have fetched Rs.10 lakh worth of fish to the fishermen.

The flood has completely destroyed Ravirala Pedda Cheruvu as there is no water left in it. The pond has an ayacut of 550 acres and now that there is no water left in it, cultivation in the area has become a question mark. The 45 fishermen families, who totally depend on the pond for livelihood, are clueless as fishlings worth Rs.10 lakh were washed away in the flood water. The fishermen claim that they have lost fish worth Rs.30 lakh.

Fishermen are seeking compensation for the losses of fish and repair of ponds breached due to floods at the earliest. According to district agriculture officials, the damages caused to ponds and losses of fish was assessed and a report was sent to the government. The central team was also informed about the losses, the officials added. They are expecting the Centre to compensate for the losses. The State has put the fisheries losses at Rs.56.41 crore.

The State government has already started distributing Rs.10,000 as an immediate relief to every flood-affected family in the district, the officials informed.

“The State government will do whatever it can to help the farmers and fishermen. We are expecting the Centre to compensate adequately,” the officials said.