Dharmavaram: Weavers pour out their woes before Lokesh

Dharmavaram(Anantapur): TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh entered the textile town of Dharmavaram on Saturday where Paritala Sriram, son of late Paritala Ravindra is in-charge of Assembly constituency. Lokesh visited several weavers' colonies where weavers shared their woes with him. They stated that 75 per cent of the town's population is weavers and are eking out their livelihoods in the profession. The prices of raw material of the textiles had increased manifold during the past four years.

At a time when the weavers were rising from the ashes of Covid 19, the inflation of all raw material prices came as a thunderbolt to the weavers. Many had resorted to suicides unable to put up with debts. During the past 4 years, as many as 56 weavers resorted to suicides. The weavers complained to Lokesh that the government did not care to pay compensation to the families of the deceased.  They demanded arrangement of loans to weavers without collateral security.

Lokesh after listening to their woes described the governance of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as a curse to the people. He lashed out at the Chief Minister for failing to pay compensation to families of weavers who committed suicide nor caring even to visit the bereaved families.

The erstwhile TDP government implemented several welfare measures for the weavers, including 90 per cent subsidy on raw material purchase and even waived off loans worth Rs 1.10 crore, he said, adding that Chandranna Bima scheme was a boon to the weavers. Lokesh had a dig at local MLA Kethireddy Venkatram Reddy for preaching morals to people and himself indulging in illegal occupation of government land of 20 acre in Survey Numbers 902 and 909 and built a farm house.  His 'Good morning Dharmavaram' to people proved to be bad morning and nightmare to the people, he said.