Central team inspects damaged crops in Guntur

Guntur :District Collector I Samuel Anand Kumar urged the Central team to submit a report on crop damages caused by Cyclone Nivar to the Central government to extend helping hand liberally to the farmers whose crops were damaged.

Inter-Ministerial team members-- Ministry of Agriculture joint director Dr Ponnu Swamy, Union Ministry of Road Transport regional officer Pravan Kumar Singh, Rural Development assistant commissioner Moti Ram --visited Guntur district to assess crop damage caused by Cyclone Nivar.

Along with district Collector I Samuel Anand Kumar, they visited damaged agriculture and horticulture fields in Ponnur and Bapatla Assembly constituencies in Guntur district on Friday.

Later, he conducted a meeting with the officials at videoconference hall in the collectorate in Guntur. Speaking on the occasion, he explained damages caused by Cyclone Nivar to horticulture and agriculture crops, roads, Animal Husbandry department and other departments through the power point presentation.

The Central team also visited paddy fields in Manchala, Vellaturu villages in Ponnur Assembly constituency. Later, they inspected agriculture fields in Bapatla Assembly constituency.

The Central team members examined discoloured paddy and enquired crop loss suffered by the farmers.

Addressing media at Munipalle, Collector Samuel Anand Kumar said agriculture crop damaged in 2.35 lakh acres, loss due to crop loss was estimated at Rs 257 crore. The state government has to release input subsidy of Rs 157 crore.

He said, horticulture gardens suffered loss of Rs 130 crore and added that the government has to pay input subsidy of Rs 5.3 crore. The Central team members assured that they will submit a report on crop damages to the Central government.

Ponnur MLA Kilari Rosaid urged the Central team to submit a report to the Centre to extend helping hand to the cyclone hit farmers liberally. Later, they visited photo exhibition set up by the officials on crop damages.

The Central team also visited Rythu Bharosa Kendram set up at Manchala village under Chebrolu mandal. I Samuel Anand Kumar explained services rendered through the RBK to the farmers. Earlier, former MLA D Narendra Kumar protested and tried to stop the vehicles of the Central team. He demanded the officials to visit damaged agriculture fields in Ponnur Assembly constituency. The Central team visited the agriculture fields in Manchala and Vellaturu villages.

Tenali Sub-Collector Mayur Ashok, joint director of agriculture Vijaya Bharati, Horticulture department deputy director Sujata were among those present.