After decades, cultivation resumes in paddy fields of Chemmaruthy in Thiruvananthapuram

Around 59 acres in the Panayara Pichakkasseri padasekharam (polder) of Chemmaruthy grama panchayat in the district that had been lying fallow for nearly four decades is being transformed into a success story of paddy cultivation.

Decades after paddy cultivation ground to a halt in the farm tracts of Panayara and Pichakkasseri, the Chemmaruthy grama panchayat and the Krishi Bhavan there have joined hands to rejuvenate paddy farming as part of the panchayat’s ‘Tharishu-rahitha Chemmaruthy’ (fallow land-free) project.

The farming is led by the padasekhara samiti and some landowners, with a few school students doing their bit too. It has been a long process, beginning with meetings with panchayat ward members, padasekhara samiti, and land authorities to inject a fresh lease of life into the once- bountiful fields. An action plan was prepared and estimates readied over the past year-and-a-half. A small attempt to revive paddy farming in a portion of the polder at Pichakkasseri was made last year. Farming was taken up on four acres of fallow land, inspiring school students to visit the fields and even take part in a sowing festival.

Encouraged by the response, it was decided to revive cultivation on around 50 acres at Panayara and another five acres in addition to the four already farmed at Pichakkasseri this year.

Canal cleaned

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers were deployed to clean a canal that had been covered over the years. Many trees that had come up on the fields had to be cut down and their stumps and roots removed to prepare the land for cultivation, said Roshna Ameen, agriculture officer in-charge of assistant agriculture director’s post.

The Uma variety of seeds that can be harvested in 120 days were sown. The crop will be grown organically.

The sowing festival saw a good turnout of Chemmaruthy residents. Around 20 National Service Scheme students of the Palayamkunnu higher secondary school also joined the sowing. The students will grow paddy on 30 cents in the polder.

Sowing festival

The sowing festival was inaugurated by district panchayat member Geetha Nazeer. Chemmaruthy grama panchayat president Priyanka Biril presided. Varkala block panchayat president Smitha Sundaresan was the chief guest.