Warangal: CPM opposes spice board office shifting

Warangal: The CPI (M) demanded the Central government to withdraw its proposal to shift the regional office of Spices Board from Warangal to Nizamabad.

Speaking to news persons here on Friday, CPM Warangal Urban district in-charge Secretary G Prabhakar Reddy said that nearly 58 per cent of the total chilli produced in the country is from Telangana. Of which, a major portion of the crop comes from erstwhile Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda districts, he said.

"Chill farmers across the State come to Enumamula Agriculture Market Yard in Warangal to sell their produce. Hence, there is no point in shifting the regional office from Warangal to Nizamabad as it certainly creates problems to farmers," Reddy said.

The farmers in the region have been demanding the government to establish Spice Board research centre in Warangal. Farmers in this regard had urged the Central government for several times, but in vain. Against this backdrop, the government's move to shift the regional office is surprising, he said.

He urged the State government and local people's representatives to pursue the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and stop the shifting of regional office. Reddy demanded the BJP district leaders to reveal their stand on shifting of the office.

Later, the Reddy, senior leaders M Chukkaiah, Godugu Venkat and other leaders met the Warangal Urban District Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu and submitted a memorandum in this regard. The Collector assured them of taking it to the notice of higher officials, it's learnt.