Date:07/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/07/stories/2006010707600500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Farmers lock up HLC offices

Staff Reporter

Protest against stoppage in water supply to canal

ANANTAPUR: Farmers of four distributaries (17 to 20) under Mid Pennar Reservoir South Canal, a sub-system of HLC system, locked the sub-division offices of HLC here on Friday, protesting against the stoppage in water supply to the canal three days ago. They sought the immediate release of water to save their standing groundnut crop, which was in the pod formation stage. Farmers under the four distributaries, mostly belonging to Korrapadu and Bukkaraya Samudram villages, explained that they had cultivated groundnut in some 4,000 acres with the assurance of getting water for one complete crop in rabi.

Repairs cited

However, water was stopped to the canal three days ago by the engineers on the pretext of carrying out repairs, they alleged. They would have cultivated other short-term crops had the engineers not assured water for any one complete rabi crop.

As the groundnut crop cultivated by them was in a crucial stage of growth it required a couple of more wettings to reach the stage of harvesting, they explained. Or else, the crop was in the danger of withering away, resulting in huge investment loss, they stated. They pleaded for immediate release of water to save their crops as well as their lives as most of the farmers had cultivated the crop by borrowing money.

After reaching the sub-division offices the farmers made the entire staff come out of the premises and made them sit in front of the offices. Later, they locked all the office rooms and raised slogans in support of their demands for about an hour.