A la Anna Hazare, farmers in the water-rich East and Godavari districts have launched a strong protest to tell the Government that they are not happy with its policies on paddy.

After declaring crop holiday in two lakh acres for kharif, farmers have locked the irrigation canals in the central delta area.

“We don't water for the season as we have decided not to grow paddy. Locking up channels was done as a protest,” Mr Trinadh Reddy, a farmer who holds eight acres, told Business Line over phone.

Though officials opened the irrigation channels later, farmers are adamant that will not sow paddy. The two districts account for 21 lakh acres of area under paddy. “We have asked the Government to allow us to export. We have sought permission to export at least to Kerala where the 2,636 variety has good market. There has been no response,” he said.

This has forced the Government to send two Ministers during the weekend to persuade farmers to withdraw their protest. But the farmers have struck to their stand.

“At least half of the produce from the last kharif is still lying with farmers. We have asked the administration to depute a team with a retired High Court judge and scientists to look into our demands. They have shown no interest at all,” Mr N. Subba Rao of Achanta mandal, said.

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