Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

CM promises all help to Anantapur ryots

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR OCT. 7. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has observed that he has not witnessed any drought as severe as the present one in Anantapur district for the last few decades. It is unprecedented and there are no crops for the farmers and no fodder for cattle, he said.

He visited several villages in C.K. Palli, Ramagiri, Kanaganapalli, Dharmavaram and Rapthadu mandals in the district today and visited drought-affected groundnut fields, interacted with farmers and labourers and visited workers taken up under Neeru-Meeru, Food-for-work, Chintato Nischnita and other programmes.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by the Revenue Minister, P. Ashok Gajapati Raju, his Secretary, Satish Chandra, and the Chairman and Managing Director of the Central Power Distribution Company, T.V.S.L.N. Prasad. Besides, the Animal Husbandry Minister, N. Kistappa, legislators and members of Parliament of the TDP participated.

He addressed people and farmers at C.K. Palli, Sriharipuram, Nagasamudram, Dadulur, Mamillapalli, Maruru, Ramanepalli and Bommeparthi villages and inspected drought-affected groundnut fields en route at several places.

The Chief Minister said the drought conditions were heart-breaking this year. Against a normal rainfall of 350 mm so far in Anantapur district this season, only 150 mm was recorded, which he said was about 60 per cent deficient.

He said his Government had been helping the farmers of the district by giving input subsidy and seed groundnut and subsidy for the last few years. The farmers had put everything of theirs in cultivation this season but had been left debt-ridden due to crop failure, he stated.

Had there been at least couple of good rain the groundnut cultivated would have been useful for fodder. But, there was neither any hope of yield from the drying and stymied groundnut crop nor useful for fodder.

Severe scarcity of fodder had been forcing the farmer resort to distress sale of their cattle, including to slaughterhouses, he said. Efforts were on to supply fodder after procuring in some coastal districts, he said.

On the power supply position, Mr. Naidu said it had deteriorated with long dry spells, lack of water in hydel projects and breakdown in thermal and lignite power plants. However, he assured the farmers of saving the standing crop by cutting power supply to industries and households.

He urged farmers not to go for wet crops like paddy. He told them that directions had been issued to the CPDC not to harass or force farmers to pay the farm power bills. The Centre had also been urged to waive interest on crop loans to help them, he said.

Mr. Naidu reiterated that would not run away from them but would fight for their problems till they were redressed. He urged them not lose heart and resort to suicide and instead, he appealed, face the situation bravely with the cooperation and help of the Government. Ending life was not a solution at all, he added.

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