Crop loss: Central team assures help as per norms in Guntur

Guntur: Inter-Ministerial Central team member and Jal Shakthi Abhiyan member P Devendar Rao assured that he will recommend to the Central government to pay compensation according to norms to the farmers who suffered crop damage due to recent floods in the district.

He along with Power Corporation Deputy Director O P Suman visited flood affected Kolluru and Bhattiprolu mandals in the district to see crop and infrastructure damage caused by the recent floods.

Joint Collector A S Dinesh Kumar explained crop losses caused by floods through a power point presentation at Kolluru MPDO office.

He said due to floods five persons died and 9,692 houses were damaged. In all, 2,115 persons living in lower-lying areas have been shifted to the relocation camps. He explained that crops like black gram, turmeric and vegetable gardens were damaged in 5,065 hectares and added that horticulture crops were damaged in 6,001 hectares.

He further said that roads and irrigation tanks were damaged at several places. He said loss suffered due to floods was Rs 306.91 crore. Dinesh Kumar pointed out that they had submitted a report on the crop loss to the State government to pay input subsidy to the farmers.

Later, the Central team members visited photo exhibition on crop and infrastructure damages. The farmers submitted a memorandum to them requested a liberal financial assistance.

MLA Meruga Nagarjuna, Tenali Sub-Collector Mayur Ashok and officials of various government departments were present.