Heavy rains damage crops in 56,000 acres in erstwhile Adilabad region

Standing crops in over 50,000 acres were damaged by recent heavy rains across erstwhile Adilabad district, causing losses to farmers.

Several parts of the district saw heavy rains a few days ago, wreaking havoc on farmers. It registered 886 mm of rainfall as against 1,091 mm of rainfall from June 1 to September 8, posting an excess by 23 percent. Except for Gadiguda, Narnoor, Indervelli, Boath, Neradigonda, Sirikonda, Utnoor and Bhoraj mandal, the remaining 13 mandals witnessed excess rainfall.

The cotton crop was being raised in 4.40 lakh acres in the district, while red gram and soy crops accounted for 65,000 acres and 54,000 acres respectively. Jowar and maize crops are being cultivated in 10,000 acres and 20,000 acres.

Officials estimated the crops being grown in 18,310 acres were affected by nature’s fury, resulting in losses to 12,338 growers of various crops.

Similarly, standing crops being raised in 10,000 acres were affected by the rain fury in Nirmal district. Twenty irrigation tanks were breached, while 100 houses collapsed. Roads were damaged at 25 places. Officials estimated the value of damage to crops and



assets caused by nature’s fury in the district at Rs 100 crore.

Agriculture officials said that standing crops such as cotton, paddy, chilli and other crops raised in 13,126 acres were inundated by rainwater causing losses to 7,781 farmers in Mancherial district. The affected farmers were from Bheemini, Kannepalli, Vemanapalli, Kotapalli, Bellampalli, Kasipet, Chennur, Jaipur and Jannaram mandals.

As per the officials, the value of the crop damage was assessed to be Rs 17 crore in Mancherial district alone. For instance, 8,107 acres of cotton crop was damaged by the downpours. The cost of the damage was assessed at Rs 12.16 crore considering Rs 15,000 per acre of cotton crop. Cotton crop raised in 4,964 acres and worth Rs 4.96 crore was also destroyed by the showers.

In the meantime, roads were also damaged by the downpours, affecting connectivity in rural parts of the erstwhile Adilabad. Funds approximately Rs 15 crore were assessed to be required for temporarily repairing roads battered by the rains. A sum of Rs 600 crore was needed to permanently take up and repair the roads in Adilabad, Mancherial, Nirmal and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts.