Farmers in Godavari districts are salvaging the paddy crop in the fields after the cyclone storm played havoc in the region.

The sun came out on Thursday and this helped farmers in drying the wet crop. Though the state government has promised purchase of paddy without consideration of moisture content, the RBKs allowed the moisture upto 22 per cent and recommended this to the rice millers. The Rice millers are however not taking the paddy beyond a moisture content of 20 per cent.

The farmers said that if the rice mills dry the paddy with their dryers, the rice will not be wet and moisture content was enough as per the government specifications. They requested the authorities to relax the norms and purchase the paddy as it was.

Officials said the paddy may be discoloured due to submergence in the floodwaters.

Meanwhile, the collectors of Godavari districts have directed the officials to enumerate the crop loss and submit reports to them within three days.

Eluru collector Prasanna Venkatesh advised the officials to shift the paddy to nearby rice mills on a war-footing within 24 hours and drain out the water from the fields. He convened a meeting with the officials in Eluru on Thursday to decide on steps in the aftermath of the cyclone.

He said that the officials should go to the farmers, know their problems and sort those out immediately. A report should be submitted to him on the crop losses, he told the officials.

The collector said sanitation drive should be taken up in all rain-affected villages. Also, officials must take steps to avoid spread of seasonal diseases and they must organise spraying of mosquito -eradication liquid and use fogging machines.

RWS officials must supply protected drinking water to the people. R&B and panchayat officials should repair the damaged roads. Electricity officials should restore power supply without any delay.

Meanwhile, Eluru district APEPDCL operation circle superintendent engineer Soleman Raj said 23 of the 33/11-KV substations, 14 of the 33 KV feeders, 82 of the 11-KV feeders, 13 of the electrical poles, 625 of the 11-KV electric poles, 304 of the LT electrical poles and 201 of the electricity conductors have been damaged.

Electricity feeders, conductors, electric poles and others have been restored on a war-foot manner.

He requested the consumers to inform him of their problems via toll free number-1912 or special control room number 9440902926.

East Godavari joint collector Tej Bharat said the district administration has taken steps to purchase the Khariff paddy with MSP, including discoloured paddy, and the farmers need not sell their paddy below MSP to mediators or rice millers.

"The farmers should take truck-sheets from RBKs and go to their houses. The responsibility of transporting the paddy to the rice mills would be taken by the RBKs. The farmers need not pay any unload charges or any amount to the rice millers or mediators or RBK personnel," he said.

He said the government aimed to purchase 2.52 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during this Kharif season.

East Godavari collector Madhavi Latha said that if the rice millers were reluctant to take the paddy on the pretext of their dryers not being functional, such rice mills would be placed under blacklist for two years. According to latest information, 1410 hectares of crop in the district was inundated.

Transport minister Pinepe Viswaroop asked officials to ensure removal of weed from the canals and drainages for free flow of water.

Source - https://www.deccanchronicle.com