In the wake of drought, prevailing heat wave conditions and depleting groundwater level, the Collectors in all districts should take measures on a war-footing to mitigate these problems and provide timely succor of food grains to the people.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao directed the district Collectors in a Conference held at MCR HRD here on Friday, which also discussed other issues of Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya. “The Collectors should initiate measures to guide farmers to opt alternative crops like soya bean and others during Kharif season as the cotton growing was not supportive and may not get better marketing facility. Since the monsoon season is expected to bring better rains, the district administrations should gear up for encouraging farmers to go in for alternative crops”, KCR said. “There shall not be any dearth of food grains and fodder as the government was ready to plunge into action to supply them spontaneously to cater to the needs”, the Chief Minister noted.
“The Collectors and other officials should work in tandem to provide all assistance to the farming community for their crops and protect cattle. Works under employment guarantee scheme should not be conducted during noon hours as it may result sunstroke and steps must be taken to provide the workers sufficient water, medicines and other help to overcome problem related to heat wave”, he said. The Chief Minister also stressed the need for supply of adequate fodder to the farmers to feed cattle.
Later the Collectors apprised the Chief Minister of drought and heat wave conditions prevailing in their districts and steps being taken to help people on a whole.
Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali, Ministers Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Jogu Ramanna, T Srinivas Yadav, Mission Bhagiratha Vice-Chairman V Prashant Reddy, Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma and others were present. (NSS)