Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

A.P. Governor lists steps to tackle drought

Dasu Kesava Rao

HYDERABAD FEB. 17. The misery of the people reeling under the worst-ever drought and drinking water shortage cast its long shadow on the Andhra Pradesh Assembly which began its budget session on Monday.

The Governor, Surjit Singh Barnala, in his maiden address to the House, spoke at length on the `highly devastating' impact of the drought and consequent water and fodder crunch. He outlined the initiatives of the Government to meet the challenge and mitigate the suffering of the people.

The Opposition, however, was not impressed by his endorsement of the Government's efforts and termed his address `a bundle of lies.' The document glossed over the core issues and was silent on farmers' suicide and starvation deaths.

The Congress sympathised with Mr. Barnala for painfully discharging his constitutional duty of reading the address although he, too, was conscious that it did not contain the whole truth. It was a `political document' prepared by the Cabinet.

Painting a grim picture of drought, Mr. Barnala said the rainfall deficit was as bad as 32 per cent and the kharif sown area shrank by 20 lakh hectares. Rabi prospects looked dismal. Fodder shortage was expected to be of the order of 35 lakh tonnes. Ninety per cent of the 1,100-odd were declared drought-affected and Rs. 342 crores released for relief. Every effort would be made to provide succour to the suffering. Nearly 4 lakh old-age pensions were sanctioned and 12 million farm hands protected under the Food-for-Work scheme. A Rs. 300-crore contingency plan for drinking water supply also was prepared.

The Congress, the main Opposition, was most strident in the attack. Its members tried to force their way into the House with empty pots to highlight people's suffering and the Government's `utter failure' to address the drought and drinking water/fodder shortages. A small exhibition of empty pots and placards was put up near the members' entrance.

Joined in by the CPI(M) and AIMIM, Congress members raised slogans, waved placards and booed the Governor, but Mr. Barnala read on regardless. Congressmen were on their feet throughout the 43-minute speech.

Acknowledging the gravity of the suffering of the drought-hit people, the Government decided to dispense with celebrations, parties, sports and cultural events organised during the budget session every year. The Business Advisory Committee of the House accepted the idea.

The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and the Telugu Desam lashed out at the Congress for seeking to disturb the Governor's address and to gatecrash with empty pots, saying it was nothing short of politicising human suffering.

Mr. Naidu admitted at a meeting of the Telugu Desam Legislature Party later that the drought situation was pretty bad and that the drinking water and fodder shortage could be worse.

He directed party MLAs to visit the affected areas in their constituencies during week-ends during the session and report to him for initiating steps to solve their problems.

He regretted that the Congress chose to resort to `cheap publicity' moves ignoring the Assembly which provided the best platform to highlight and discuss the problems of people.

Legislature parties of the BJP and the Congress also met to take stock of the situation and draw up strategy for the session.

At the CLP meet it was decided to open gruel centres in the drought-affected areas with funds raised by the party. The PCC president, M. Satyanarayana Rao, attended the meeting.

A notable absentee in the House was J. Krishna Rao, Congress(I) member from Kollapur, who was arrested following a complaint by a Transco engineer that he was publicly humiliated by the MLA. He is still in jail.

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