320 acres of paddy fields submerged in bund breach

Alappuzha: Around 320 acres of paddy field were submerged following a bund breach after outer bund at Kuppapuram breached. As many as 210 houses located adjacent to the paddy field were also affected.
Kainakary South village officer Amod M Das said that due to the heavy flow of water, the authorities could not plug the breach. "We can only start the restoration works when the water level recedes.There are three motors to pump out the water. One motor shed was destroyed in the breach," he said.
"We have made arrangements for opening a relief camp at a government school here to relocate the affected families but they are not ready to shift. They fear that if they leave their houses, their belonging would be stolen," he said adding that all arrangements have been made to supply food to the people in Kuppupuram with the support of civil supplies department," said Mercy K J, agriculture official.
Preman Puthenkayal , a farmer, said his five acres of paddy fields are completely under water now. "It is after 15 years that the outer bund has breached in our area. We are not willing move to rehabilitation camps. We will stay in our homes with the support of the revenue and agriculture department," he said. As many as 300 farmers had been all set for sowing seeds for the second round of cultivation.
Agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar directed officials to submit a detailed report about the loss suffered by the farmers and make adequate arrangements for relief operations.
Meanwhile, PWD minister G Sudhakaran visited areas affected by coastal erosion in Ambalappuzha on Sunday. He was accompanied by district collector R Girija and other officials to Madhavamukku, Vyassa Junction, Neerkunnam and Pazhayangadi, the worst-affected regions.