Nagarkurnool: BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) expressed concern over the drying crops in the erstwhile Palamuru district and alleged that the state government was failing to provide irrigation water to farmers despite water being available.
KTR visited Deshtikyala village in Nagarkurnool mandal, met farmers and inspected cotton and maize crops. Farmers told him that their crops had been severely damaged and that they were struggling even to recover their initial investments.
According to KTR, more than 40 per cent of crops in the erstwhile Palamuru district have reportedly been affected. He said cotton crops had dried up and changed colour, leaving farmers worried about getting even ₹4,000 per quintal.
Farmers Seek Government Intervention
KTR said farmers stopped his convoy near Deshtikyala while he was returning to Hyderabad after attending a programme in Kollapur and requested him to see their damaged crops and highlight their problems with the government.Responding to their request, he visited the village and inspected the fields. KTR said the condition of the cotton crops indicated extensive damage, while maize farmers were also facing significant losses.
He cited the case of a farmer, Shekhar Reddy, who reportedly told him that he had borrowed ₹2 lakh to cultivate maize on two acres. KTR said farmers reported that although recent rains had made some fields appear green, the crops had already suffered substantial damage.
He said the difficulties faced by farmers such as Shekhar Reddy, Laxmaiah and Yadamma were not isolated cases, but reflected the situation of several farmers across the region.
KTR Alleges Lack of Irrigation Water
KTR said farmers had identified inadequate irrigation water as one of the major reasons for the crop losses. He alleged that sufficient water was available in the Krishna and Godavari rivers, but farmers were not receiving adequate irrigation supplies.
He claimed that around 248 TMC of water was available this year, and argued that the government should have stored available water, filled tanks and supplied water through irrigation canals. KTR also alleged that the Kalwakurthy and Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Projects were not being operated to their full potential.
He said timely irrigation could have helped farmers protect their crops and alleged that the government was failing to provide water, electricity and other required support to the farming
community.
Farmers Raise Power Supply Issues
Farmers also brought electricity-related problems to KTR’s attention. He said a farmer named Balapeer complained that after 7 p.m., only single-phase power was available, making it difficult to operate agricultural motors.
Farmers also reportedly complained that even when three-phase power was supplied, interruptions were frequent.
KTR questioned the government over what he described as a lack of adequate support for farmers, referring to concerns over farm assistance, electricity and irrigation.
KTR Highlights Previous Irrigation Projects
KTR recalled that during the previous BRS government, irrigation projects including Jurala, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, Koilsagar and Palamuru-Rangareddy were developed to provide irrigation to large areas of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district.
He claimed that approximately 8 to 8.5 lakh acres had received irrigation benefits through these projects. He also said the construction of check dams and the filling of tanks had helped improve groundwater levels in the region.
KTR alleged that while the Palamuru region is located close to the Krishna River, farmers were still facing water shortages and claimed that Krishna water was being diverted to Andhra Pradesh.
Demand for Crop-Loss Compensation
KTR demanded that the Telangana government immediately assess the crop damage across the erstwhile Palamuru district.
He called for a comprehensive survey of every acre to identify the extent of crop loss and demanded appropriate compensation for affected farmers.
KTR said many farmers had borrowed money or pledged gold to finance cultivation and alleged that the farm-loan waiver had also not been fully implemented.
He urged the state government to announce a special package for farmers in view of the reported crop losses.
BRS to Raise Farmers’ Issues with Government
KTR said he would meet agriculture officials and the Agriculture Minister to bring the farmers’ concerns to the government’s attention. He also said BRS MLAs would put pressure on the government to address the issue.
He assured farmers that the BRS would continue to raise their concerns until appropriate compensation was provided for the affected crops.
KTR appealed to farmers not to lose hope and urged them to remain courageous during the difficult period.
