Ex-MLC urges Collectors to initiate drought-relief steps

Anantapur-Puttaparthi: Former MLC Dr M Geyanand and moderator of ‘Sandarbham,’ a social platform which debates on people’s issues, has written to the collectors of twin districts on the grim drought situation caused by failure of monsoon.

He said the past two years witnessed crop damages caused by excessive rainfall and presently it is deficit rainfall. Stating the district is subjected to extreme weather conditions, he said due to deficit rainfall of 30-40 percent in this kharif season, groundnut crop, castor oil and millets withered. He stated the district registered less than 522 mm rainfall, which is less than average rainfall.

The rains in September may help the damaged groundnut crop to be used as fodder for animals, he stated and urged the government to declare 63 mandals in twin districts as ‘drought-hit’ and extend the needed help to farmers. To save the remaining standing crops, nine hours uninterrupted power supply should be given during the daytime. Due to good rainfall recorded in the past four years, borewells were recharged and borewells based irrigation had developed in the districts. At least 3 lakh acres were being irrigated by 2 lakh recharged bores.

In Sathya Sai district, one lakh borewells were recharged. Many farmers were sinking bores borrowing money from private moneylenders and small farmers took to vegetable plantation on a massive scale. The district which once imported vegetables from Bengaluru is now exporting vegetables to the garden city, he pointed out. Some NGOs like RDT are coming forward to rescue farmers by pressing into service ‘protective irrigation’. Power consumption in September, which is low normally, has increased by leaps and bounds due to using of motorsets for protective irrigation. Geyanand has urged district collectors to open a grievance cell at the collectorate so that farmers can lodge complaints about power cut problems to ensure uninterrupted power supply to farmers during daytime.

He also urged collectors to take steps to prevent farmers suicides on account of resurfacing of drought conditions. Since 2023 January, 25 farmers committed suicide from the twin districts. September-October months in every year is noted for farmers suicides and therefore district administration should be vigilant to prevent such eventualities. A complaint cell should be opened at the collectorate and RDO offices to facilitate farmers to complain on private moneylenders harassment.

Most of those resorting to suicides are tenant farmers.

He said farmers should be supplied seeds at 90 percent subsidy so that they can go for short term commercial crops and banks should declare moratorium on loans recovery.

Government should pay interest amounts to banks on behalf of farmers. Trenches should be dug and be filled with water for animals. The NREG workdays should be extended from 100 to 200 days per year.