Gangula Kamalakar to embark on padayatra for water in Telangana’s Karimnagar

Says Congress government least bothered about issues faced by the farming community

KARIMNAGAR: Karimnagar MLA Gangula Kamalakar has decided to embark on a ‘padayatra’ in the constituency to get water for irrigation in the segment. The ‘padayatra’ will be organised in the name of ‘Chalo Narayanapur’, which is the main water source for Karimnagar constituency.

Kamalakar announced this while interacting with media persons after inaugurating a paddy purchase centre in Karimnagar rural mandal on Friday. The Narayanapur reservoir was the main water source for Karimnagar constituency. However, there was no water in Narayanapur. Though farmers were facing troubles with regard to irrigation, the State government was least bothered about their issues. To mount pressure on the government, the padayatra would be taken out very soon, he said.

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Earlier, Kamalakar said officials should purchase paddy that arrived at the centres and shift it immediately to mills since there was a possibility of hailstorms in the coming days. Farmers, who were already suffering due to lack of Rythu Bandhu, irrigation water and crop loan waiver, would suffer a huge loss if the crop was soaked in the rains. So, the government should immediately start the purchasing of paddy, he demanded.

Farmers suffered a huge loss by selling the crop to millers at low prices as the State government failed to start the procurement centres at the right time, he said, recalling that during the BRS regime, procurement used to start in the second week of March. Even soaked and discolored paddy was also procured providing MSP, he said.

Farmers informed the MLA that officials had allocated long distance rice mills instead of the nearest ones for them to shift the crop after procurement. Subsequently, transportation charges would increase. Reacting to this, Kamalakar spoke to the District Collector over phone and asked her to allocate nearest rice mills to avoid increase in transportation charges.