Urea shortage triggers chaos at PACS centres; Agriculture officer faints amid rush in Khammam

A fertiliser distribution drive turned chaotic in Khammam district as farmers thronged PACS centres in search of urea. At Karepalli, an agriculture officer fainted after being mobbed by the crowd. Despite early arrival and long queues, many farmers were denied urea due to a token-based system favouring prior recipients.

Khammam: An agriculture officer fainted at the Karepalli PACS in the district as he was allegedly mobbed by farmers who gathered at the society office in large numbers for urea.

Farmers arrived at the PACS after receiving information that coupons were being given for the distribution of urea early in the morning and waited in long queues.

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A scuffle broke out when all the farmers gathered around the AO, Battu Ashok Kumar, for the coupons. In the melee, he fainted. Other officials shifted the AO to the local government primary health centre for treatment. Many farmers complained that they waited for urea bags since early morning but could not get urea.

In Khammam rural mandal, farmers in large numbers reached PACS sub-centres in Gudimalla, Maddulapalli, Tallampadu, Pallegudem, Muthagudem, M Venkatayapalem and Theerthala Kasma thanda after learning that 200 to 400 bags had arrived at the centres.

Farmers expressed anger at the officials at M Venkatayapalem as they told farmers that urea would be distributed only to those who had received tokens a week ago and a large number of farmers standing in queues had to return homes empty-handed.