Declare Srikakulam as drought-hit district: CPI

Srikakulam: CPI district secretary Sanapala Narasimhulu on Wednesday demanded the government to declare Srikakulam as drought affected district. Speaking to media along with the party leaders here, Narasimhulu said that 33 mandals have received scanty rainfall in the district out of total 38 mandals. In all the 33 mandals, only 40 per cent rainfall recorded as against normal rainfall in the current season. As a result of scanty rainfall, farmers lost their paddy seed which was sowed on farm fields in the kharif season, he stated. Once again, the farmers were ready to sow paddy seed by expecting good rains, he elaborated. He also demanded for supply of seed to farmers by the government at subsidy price otherwise farmers will suffer heavy loss.

He also expressed serious concern over the scarcity of sand in the district and demanded to solve it as building workers were losing their working days and wages as construction works came to a halt. CPI and its affiliated unions' leaders Ch Govinda Rao, B Srirammurthy and P Prabavathi also spoke.