Central team assesses crop loss

Kurnool: A four-member Inter Ministerial Central team led by its chairman GK Rathore made a whirlwind visit in the district to assess the drought conditions on Tuesday.

The team members Rama Krishna, JR Pargar including GK Rathore first visited A Gonehal village in Alur Mandal and inspected the withered cotton, black gram and
groundnut crops.

Later, the team visited Danapuram village in Adoni mandal and Pyalakurthi village in Kodumur mandal. During their visits, the members interacted with the farmers to know the severity of the drought conditions.

Basava Raju of A Gonehal, who had sown groundnut crop in an extent of five acres, told The Hans India that he had suffered crop loss.

The farmer stated he borrowed heavily and has to repay debts. He expressed anguish that he is not in a position to buy fodder to his five cattles.

He demanded crop compensation and urged the State government to supply fodder through the Agriculture
department.

Another farmer Seshanna of Dhanapuram in Adoni mandal has poured out his woes to the Central team. He said that he has raised cotton crop in 3 acres besides two more acres of groundnut but lost heavily in both the crops.

He lamented that he reaped only six quintals of cotton in place of 35 to 40 quintals from the three acres of land. He urged the team members to save his family from committing suicide by extending crop compensation.

Zakeer Hussain's story too revealed the same incidents at Pylakurthy village in Kodmur Mandal. He has raised cotton crop in an extent of eight acres but he could not reap satisfactory yields.

Water scarcity loomed large over the crops and 80 per cent of cotton crop has been withered. He urged the officials to ascertain the loss and extend him compensation.

Later, the committee met the district officials at government guest house in the district head quarters, where the Joint Collector C Harikiran explained the drought conditions in the district.

The crops raised in an extent of 3.5 lakh hectares have withered completely, Joint Collector C Hari Kiran told to the team.

The district administration submitted the report to the Central team for sanctioning of Rs 347 crore towards crop loss; Rs 11 crore for mitigating drinking water scarcity and Rs 15 crore as cattle grass assistance.

Kurnool MP Butta Renuka, MLAs Y Sai Prasad Reddy, SV Mohan Reddy, G Jarayam, Gowru Charitha, M Mani Gandhi, Y Isaiah and others too meet the team members at different intervals to discuss about the drought conditions in their segments.

Meanwhile, the team members also viewed the photo exhibition set up on drought situation at State Guest House.

The team leader GK Rathore said they had assessed drought losses in the district. They stated that they will submit the report to the government and will explain about the necessity of grants to be released, he added.