The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Tuesday represented the situation of the farming community this season to the State government. A large number of farmers incurred huge losses after standing crops on about 20 lakh acres wilted before reaching harvesting stage due to a lack of irrigation water.
Submitting the representations to the Chief Secretary in Hyderabad and to Collectors in respective districts, they requested the government to help the farmers by extending a relief of ₹25,000 an acre to all farmers whose crops wilted.
The delegation comprised former ministers G. Jagadish Reddy and G. Kamalakar; MLAs K.P. Vivekanand, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and Padi Kaushik Reddy; MLCs Satyavathi Rathod, Seri Subhash Reddy and Dande Vithal; former MLA Balka Suman; and others.
They explained to the Chief Secretary that the farmers had began the cultivation after the ruling party leaders promised them sufficient water for the Yasangi crop. The BRS leaders accused the government of failing in water management, denying water through canals and not filling minor irrigation tanks. This, in turn, led to borewells and open wells drying up.
Farmers ending lives
They further alleged that low-voltage and fluctuation were damaging agricultural pump sets and that about 200 farmers ended their lives due to distress in the past three-and-a-half months. The farmers did not received either rythu bandhu or bharosa assistance in time.
The Opposition leaders reminded the government of the promises made before Assembly elections such as the payment of ₹500 a quintal as bonus on paddy and waiver of loans up to ₹2 lakh. They suggested that the government release water to canals and fill the tanks, wherever possible.
Representations were submitted to the Collectors of Siddipet, Sangareddy, Suryapet and Khammam.
