Konaseema farmers declare crop holiday over irrigation drain neglect
Paddy farmers in Thadikona village have declared a crop holiday, protesting the neglect of the Peekaleru irrigation drain. They cite issues with encroachment, siltation, and saline water intrusion from nearby aquaculture ponds as major threats to their cultivation.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights the ongoing conflict between traditional agriculture and the aquaculture industry, as well as the impact of poor infrastructure maintenance on food security.
The paddy farmers of Thadikona village have declared a crop holiday in 189 acres, alleging government inaction in preventing encroachments and carrying out widening and desilting of the Peekaleru irrigation drain in Allavaram mandal of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. The farmers have also cited the growing threat of saline water from aquaculture ponds surrounding the drain entering their paddy fields.
The collective decision drew public attention after the farmers erected flex banners in their fields on August 3, demanding immediate government intervention to address their grievances.
As of August 4, the farmers had neither raised paddy nurseries nor begun cultivation in nearly 200 acres along the banks of the Peekaleru drain during the ongoing Kharif 2026-27 season.
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