Frequent power cuts hit Kuttanad farms

KOTTAYAM: The few remaining farmlands in R Block in Alappuzha district, one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level, are facing extinction. This is after the frequent power cuts which hindered the pumping out of water from the fields using motor pumps. As the pumping gets affected, the water levels in the fields rise, leading to crop loss.Motor pumps with the power of 50-75 HP is used to pump out water from the fields. Hindered power supply to R Block resulted in extensive loss of crops, said Titto Abraham, convenor of R Block Kayal Samithi.
"Most of the motor pumps are as old as 50 years and many are not in working condition now. There are 24 motors for the entire R Block. One motor is for 50 acres," said Benny, a landowner. Benny suffered heavy losses in 2013 when the motors got damaged after water level rose. "My entire coconut plantation got ruined," he said. He also said that the landowners here are also to be blamed as they are not properly maintaining the motor pumps.
Around 1,550 acres of agricultural land spread out in Vembanad lake, where farmers tried out various experiments, is now on the verge of decline. The farmers here are facing the threat of floods since 1992, said Titto.
Though several projects like Kuttanad package was introduced to rejuvenate the farmers, nothing worked out, said a farmer Raghavan, adding that during rainy season, they seldom get power supply. Apart from paddy, coconut, vanilla, plantain, cocoa, pepper, etc. are the crops cultivated here by farmers.
According to the farmers, it is the KSEB and the agricultural department which is responsible for the present situation in the region situated in the middle of the lake.
Recently, the situation has worsened here as pumping was affected as power supply was disrupted for over a week. The remaining farming is also now under threat of getting ruined. The electric posts in the region are also in a bad condition. The electric lines are also not properly maintained. Currently, power is supplied from one feeder in Pallom punja to the entire fields here.
The only solution for the present crisis is the construction of a sub-station here, said Titto Abraham. One of the landowners here had donated five acres to KSEB years ago for the purpose of building a sub-station.
However, the KSEB has cited difficulty in access to the region as the reason for not starting a sub-station there. "If there is difficulty in building a sub-station there, KSEB can built one in Konchu Mada in Kumarakom to solve the power crisis here," he added.