Farmers Movement Archive

Telangana: Crop damage due to heavy rains Rs 1,000 crore, say farmers

HYDERABAD: The torrential rains that caused floods in many parts of the state in the last four days have washed away cotton, maize and other crops. Over 470 mandals in the districts had received excess rainfall. Farmers’ associations said the crop damage could be Rs 1,000 crore in over a lakh acres. With the Met department predicting more rains, farmers are worried that their crops would be washed away in the intiail stages itself and that they may have to go for sowing operations once again. “The state government should compensate the farmers for the losses and also make arrangements for distribution of seeds. Crops in more than one lakh acres had been damaged. At many places, even the fertile soil was washed away and sand patches have formed in agricultural fields,” said Sarampalli Malla Reddy, vice-president of All India Kisan Sabha. He alleged that the state government has not been paying compensation for crop damages to the farmers in the last few years. “The state government cannot wash its hands of by distributing Rythu Bandhu money alone to the farmers,” he said. All India Kisan Congress state president Anvesh Reddy said the agriculture sector was the worst hit due to continuous heavy rains. The unseasonal heavy rains and floods had caused Rs 12,000 crore crop loss last year but the government did not pay compensation to the farmers. “The state government is not paying its share under the Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana due to which the Centre is not releasing compensation or relief towards losses caused due to natural calamities,” he alleged. However, officials of the agriculture department said heavy rains were not uncommon for Telangana in July, August and September. The extent of damage may not be much as the farmers were in the initial stages of sowing operations. “It will take a week to 10 days for assessment of damage, if any, caused to crops due to rans. Once the flood water recedes, the sprouts and soil get rejuvenated,” an official said.

The Times of India

2021-07-25

Hyderabad