Urea shortage: Farmers argue with MLA Kanakaiah, fall at feet of Collector, stage protests

Widespread protests broke out in Telangana over a severe urea shortage, with farmers staging dharnas in Kothagudem, Mahabubabad, Mulugu, and Warangal districts. Tempers flared in Yellandu as MLA Koram Kanakaiah clashed with farmers who accused officials of mismanagement and hoarding.

Kothagudem/Mahabubabad: Protests for urea turned serious at Yellandu in Kothagudem on Thursday as farmers entered into arguments with the local MLA, Koram Kanakaiah.

Farmers staged a dharna on Yellandu main road near government hospital as authorities delayed supply of urea to them even after long hours of waiting. The protest led to traffic jams on both sides of the road.

CI T Suresh and SI Haseena tried to convince the farmers to end their protest. MLA Kanakaiah reached the spot, convinced the farmers and took them to the PACS warehouse saying that adequate urea was sent to Yellandu, but due to officials’ failure, it had not reached farmers.

As farmers continued to protest pointing at ‘no stock’ boards, the MLA alleged that some of the farmers were selling urea in black market. This led to an altercation between the farmers and the MLA, who had to leave the place as he could not face the farmers’ anger.

Similarly at Thorrur in Congress MLA Yashaswini Reddy’s Palakurthy constituency, hundreds of farmers gathered in front of the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society on Annaram road and staged a protest on Khammam-Warangal main road as officials put up a ‘no stock’ board.

Expressing anger over the shortage of urea, they accused the MLA of failing to address the issue. They complained that the Congress government was adopting anti-farmer policies. One or two bags of urea were given to each farmer while urea purchase was linked with nano-urea. During the BRS regime, the farmers never faced such a situation, farmers Maloth Venkanna and others said.

At the Mulugu district headquarters, a large number of farmers staged a protest at the local PACS over shortage of urea. The district Collector reached the spot and convinced the farmers that enough urea was available. At that time, a farmer fell at the feet of the Collector urging him to ensure sufficient supply of urea to farmers in time as crops were being damaged due to lack of urea.

In Gundala mandal headquarters in Kothagudem many farmers, including women, were seen sleeping at the local PACS on Wednesday night for urea so that they could be first in the queue in the morning.

Farmers in Laxmidevipally mandal complained that they stood in queue in front of the PACS for urea since morning but were given only two urea bags that were not sufficient for their needs. They wanted the government to respond immediately and resolve the urea shortage.