Hyderabad, August 10: An all-party meeting has decided to launch a Statewide agitation from August 17 to exert pressure on the Central and State governments to tackle the prevailing drought situation in the State.
The meeting alleged that the State government was acting like a spectator and was not doing anything to get assistance from the Centre. It demanded that the State take up relief measures to help farmers affected by it. The meeting also demanded that the State intensify the implementation of NREGP in all the districts.
The CPI State Committee organised the meeting at the CPI state headquarters which was attended by all the parties excluding the Congress, BJP and MIM. Several farmers’ associations’ leaders also attended.
The meeting discussed the drought situation on the basis of a report prepared by the CPI state committee.
All the parties decided to organise dharnas and protest rallies in front of the collectorates.
TDP MLA D Narendra Kumar said that the government was in deep slumber and was unable to understand the drought situation.
He said that districts received 80 per cent less rainfall and 50 farmers committed suicide in the State.
People were migrating from rural areas in search of livlihood.
CPI State secretary K Narayana alleged that the State was unable to send even a report to the Centre.
CPM State secretary BV Ragahvulu said that the State was not ready to recognise the situation. He took strong objection to the chief secretary seeking more time to assess the situation. He alleged that the State government had slowed down NREGP works in the State.
TRS leader G Vijayarama Rao alleged the State Government was wasting people’s money on useless programmes like Megha Mathanam and but was not ready to spend money on drought programmes.
PRP leader Srikant Reddy said that when Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar admitted that drought prevailed in the country, the State Government was not ready to recognise that. Dried-up paddy and withered groundnut plants were put on display at the meeting.
–Agencies–