Vijayawada: CPI launches 30-hour dharna for drought relief
CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna and others take part in a 30-hour fast seeking relief to drought-hit areas at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on Monday Photo: Ch Venkata Mastan)
Vijayawada: CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna demanded the state government to take relief measures to address the problems being faced by the farmers due to the prevailing drought conditions in the state.
He asked the government to take measures to check migration of labourers from the state and help the farmers by implementing loan waiver. The CPI state secretary launched the 30-hour Deeksha at the Dharna Chowk here on Monday. The party took up the agitation to force the government to address drought problem and scrap the gazette notification by the Centre on the redistribution of Krishna river waters between AP and Telangana.
Addressing the leaders of CPI, AP Rytu Sangham, AIYF and other party affiliated associations at Dharna Chowk, Ramakrishna alleged that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, state ministers, MLAs and YSRCP leaders were not talking about the drought conditions and problems of farmers.
Stating that drought conditions prevailed in over 440 mandals in 18 districts of the state, he demanded the government to announce compensation to the farmers for the crop loss caused by dry spell. He also sought loan waiver to farmers and launch of MNREGS works to check migration of farmers and farm workers.
Ramakrishna alleged that the Central government released gazette notification on Krishna river waters redistribution to get the political mileage in Telangana Assembly elections. Demanding the scrapping of notification immediately, he urged the other political parties to join the agitation launched by the CPI to mount pressure on the Union government.
APCC president Gidugu Rudra Raju, who attended the programme, demanded the state government to take measures to check the migration of farmers and farm labourers from the state. He alleged that CM is not responding to the drought conditions prevailed in the state.
CPI leaders Ravula Venkaiah, Muppalla Nageswara Rao, G Obulesu, Gujjala Eswaraiah, K V V Prasad and others spoke on the occasion.
Party leaders Jalli Wilson, Akkineni Vanaja, P Harnath Reddy, D Jagadish, Jangala Ajay Kumar and leaders of AITUC, Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham, AP Mahila Samkhya, AISF, Tenant farmers association and other associations participated in the dharna.