YSRCP Government flayed for neglecting Gulab cyclone victims

Mangalagiri: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday stressed the need for rushing immediate help to north Andhra following large scale destruction of crops and property caused by the latest Gulab cyclone.

The former chief minister expressed concern that crops in over 3 lakh acre were damaged and the normal life became paralysed. The roads were badly damaged under the impact of the heavy rains. The TDP leaders and cadres should make themselves available to extend all possible help to the affected families. The YSRCP government was not taking prompt action to mitigate the suffering of the cyclone-hit people. Negligence was visible despite the people suffering in every natural calamity, he said.

The TDP chief held a teleconference with the party leaders when he underscored the need for the Government to immediately enumerate the crop losses and extend assistance to the affected farmers. Help should be extended to those whose houses were damaged. Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik was instructing the officials at every step to extend help to the people of their state. But in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was neglecting the people in their time of calamity and suffering. On its part, the TDP would always be by the side of the people whether it was in ruling or in opposition.

Chandrababu Naidu criticised that the Jagan was not swinging into action even in times of great suffering for the people. "He has no idea of how vital irrigation is for a flourishing agriculture. He was just watching when the water was flowing wastefully into the sea. The overflowing of the Somasila project would indicate the inefficiency of the Chief Minister. It is the collective responsibility of everyone to help the affected families. The TDP leaders should take part in shifting affected people to safer places and in providing food for them," Naidu said.

On its part, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has betrayed the farmers totally in the payments of crop insurance and input subsidy, the TDP chief said adding that the YSRCP government had washed its hands of the farmers' problems.