TDP, Cong. trade charges on drought relief

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 15. The renewed discussion on the drought situation in the Assembly focussed on inadequate relief to the affected people even as the ruling TDP and the Congress indulged in mutual recrimination with BJP members chipping in to defend the role of the Centre in assisting the State.

The former Minister and senior TDP member, Mr.Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, resented the Congress tirade against the Government for misery wrought by nature. The State was battered frequently by floods, cyclones and drought but the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, was always in the forefront in consoling the victims of natural calamities even before any official could reach the spot. The present drought was caused by unprecedented failure of monsoon. The Chief Minister was waging an uncompromising fight with the Centre for additional assistance, Mr. Rao said. He demanded early action on the long- pending Polavaram project on the Godavari.

Mr. Younus Sultan (Congress) said the watershed and Neeru-Meeru programmes launched with fanfare did not help mitigate the effect of drought. The desilting of tanks was abandoned midway. He demanded that the Chief Minister's promise on the Rs. 550-crore Dummugudem project in Khammam district be followed up promptly.

Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi (MIM) said the State was hit by natural calamities ever year since 1995 as the ``sins of rulers became intolerable.'' Mr.Naidu's clout with the NDA Government did not help in the State getting the required Central assistance. The State would be blessed only when the TDP snaps ties with the BJP, he added sarcastically.

Mr. M. Narasimhulu, Alair MLA, was all praise for the Chief Minister for implementing the SLBC project and taking initiatives to launch the Sriramsagar Flood Flow Canal project.

Members from both sides expressed the firm opinion that the recurring crisis in the agriculture sector could be averted if only successive Governments had fully exploited the State's water resources.

They said several medium irrigation projects requiring moderate doses of investment had been left incomplete even as Governments promised grandiose projects like linking Godavari and Krishna rivers.

Mrs. Galla Aruna (Congress) said the TDP Government had failed badly in augmenting the existing ayacut. She criticised the tardy relief measures in Chittoor which was first turning like the perennially dry Anantapur due to four successive droughts.

A TDP member, Mr. G. Jaipal Yadav, made a forceful plea for completing pending irrigation projects in Mahabubnagar district on a priority basis. Stating that eight lakh agricultural labourers were migrating from the district every year, he urged the Government to provide 20 kg of rice to their families many of whom were on the verge of starvation.

Dr. P. Shanker Rao (Congress) said future generations would suffer if water conservation, preservation and optimum utilisation were not taken up as a national programme. He justified the ``cloud-seeding'' experiments conducted by the Congress Government in the early 1990s when he was Minister for Minor Irrigation.

Criticising the Central drought relief team for its hurried visit to Prakasam district and sanction of meagre assistance, Dr. Divi Sivaram (TDP) said the TDP Government had every right to expect more funds since it was propping up the NDA regime. He said all the 1,000-odd panchayat raj and minor irrigation tanks in Prakasam district had gone dry.

Mr. B. Krishnaiah (Congress) said the Somasila and Kandaleru reservoirs could have stored 60 tmcft of water if only the Government had pumped in necessary funds for their completion. They could have irrigated 5 lakh acres which in turn would have helped in producing foodgrains worth Rs. 500 crores and generating employment worth Rs. 75 crores.

Mr. K. Jayaram (TDP) said all irrigation tanks in Anantapur district had been repaired under the Neeru-Meeru programme this year but there was no rain. Mr. K. Atchan Naidu (TDP) said the Government must use its resources sparingly so that they last till the onset of rain.

Mr. B. Satya Rao (Congress) said the high prices of seed supplied by the Government was unjustified while Mr. P. Brahmaiah (TDP) said the main focus of drought relief in Cuddapah district must be on supply of drinking water. Mr. Gummadi Narsaiah (CPI-ML), Mr. B. Durga Prasad Rao and Mr. P. Narayanaswamy Naidu (both TDP) also took part in the debate. Mr. M.S. Parthasarathy (BJP), Mr. B.V. Rama

Rao (Cong.) also participated in the debate.

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