Kerala: Bund collapses in Kuttanad

ALAPPUZHA:  About 2,400 acres of ‘puncha’ paddy cultivation was ruined in the Kuttanad C block owing to the collapse (mada veezcha)  of the outer bund on Tuesday morning. Water from the kayal rushed to the paddy field which is over  10 feet below the sea level. The loss is estimated at `6 crore. The ‘petty and para’ used to remove water from the paddy field was destroyed. An electric post was uprooted disrupting power to more than ten families.“The farmers who took the paddy field for lease suffered huge losses,” said Anilkumar, a native of C block.About 2,400 acres of paddy field in the C block consist of Putthanaarayiram, Moolayaarayiram and C and D blocks.  The block was divided into four with minor bunds. Outer bunds protect the paddy field from the lake water.  Madhu Lal, a framer from  Kanjiram in Kottayam district who had taken on lease 91 acres of paddy field in the C  block said, “I was spraying  pesticides along with seven labourers when the bund was breached. The water from the kayal rushed into the paddy field. I had sown the seed 20 days back.  I have spent more than `18 lakh to cultivate 91 acres. `11,500 is the lease rate of an acre of paddy field,’’ he said. ‘‘At normal times, I  get a profit of `3,000 from an acre. That helps me cultivate this much land,”  Madhu Lal said. “All my efforts have been lost.  I had borrowed money from a  money lender at a high interest rate,”  he said. Sibychan, Piush Bhavan, R block, Rajeshkumar, Kalathil Chira, Kuppappuram, Shine Kochuputhenparambil, C Block,  Shibu, Kochuputhenparambil, Uthaman Rahul Bhavan, C block suffered huge losses. Rajesh had taken on lease six acres of paddy field after pledging the chain of his wife. “A sum of `95,000 was spent to cultivate  the land,”  Rajesh said.  Shibu cultivated  20 acres and Shine five.    Gopalakrishnan, a farmer, said that the farmers had  pointed out the defects in the construction of upper bunds which led to the collapse.  The pile and slab bund was partially completed.  Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan  said  he had  asked   the Principal Agricultural Officer to submit a report immediately.‘‘The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday will look into the matter and  take  steps to tackle the loss of farmers,” he said.