Congress demands compensation for crop loss due to unseasonal rains

Mahbubnagar: Unseasonal rains for the last two days have caused huge loss to paddy farmers in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district. Raising the issue, Congress leaders of Devarkadra and Jadcherla have demanded the State government to set up paddy procurement centers immediately and buy the harvest as it comes to the market.

Devarkadra Congress in-charge G Madhusudhan Reddy lamented that thousands of farmers have lost their paddy crop with some losing their standing crop to the heavy winds and hailstorms, while the yield of some farmers was drowned under rainwater, that was stored at market yards. Along with setting of paddy procurement centres, he also demanded compensation for the farmers, who incurred loss.

The Congress leader slammed Devarkadra MLA Ala Venkateshwar Reddy, calling termed him as a showoff man, who attends inaugurations only. He alleged that the Devarkadra MLA does not care for farmers.

Madhusudhan Reddy further alleged that the officials concerned were negligent in setting up procurement centres even though farmers were bringing stock to the market yards from the last two weeks. If the government has taken early steps to procure paddy, farmers might not have faced loss due to unseasonal rains, he observed.

He also demanded the government to immediately provide all facilities like tarpaulins to farmers to protect their produce at the market yards. He also asked the government to purchase soaked paddy at minimum support price (MSP). If not, the Congress leader warned that his party will not hesitate to take up large scale protests against the government's insensitive attitude towards the farmers.