Hailstorm: Cong demands govt to come up with concrete mechanism for rescuing farmers

HYDERABAD: In the wake of hailstorms and rains battering parts of Telangana, Congress urged the government to estimate the crop damage quickly and financially assist affected farmers. The party demanded that the government should come up with a concrete mechanism to provide support to farmers.

In a media statement, PCC chief A. Revanth Reddy said that Thursday’s hailstorm and heavy rainfall had caused huge damage to crops, particularly in Ranga Reddy district. “There was huge damage to crops and farms producing fruits and flowers, mostly in parts of Ranga Reddy. Hence I demand that the government come up with estimated damage and provide assistance to farmers,” he stated.

Congress kisan cell vice-president M. Kodanda Reddy said that besides crops, at several places the change of weather and climate had taken a toll on poultry. State Kisan cell chairman S. Anvesh Reddy described the visit of ministers S. Niranjan Reddy and P Sabitha Indra Reddy and Rythu Bandhu Samiti president Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and others to Vikarabad district as nothing more than a photo op.

“Similar to the Warangal tour in February last year, these ministers took a helicopter ride just to create hype. The farmers are yet to get compensation for the previous year’s losses. When the minister is coming up with rough estimates in Vikarabad, why did he fail to announce the compensation to the farmers,” Anvesh Reddy asked.