Mahabubnagar: Former Telangana Minister V Srinivas Goud inspected withered crops in Hanwada, Madaram, Komireddypally and Munimoksham villages of Hanwada mandal in Mahabubnagar district and expressed concern over the hardships faced by farmers due to the shortage of electricity and irrigation water. He also participated in a protest organised in front of the Munimoksham substation, demanding an uninterrupted power supply and compensation for farmers who had suffered crop losses. Srinivas Goud alleged that Mahabubnagar district, where agriculture is the main source of livelihood, was witnessing a serious agrarian crisis under the Congress government. He said that during the previous BRS government, many people who had migrated in search of livelihoods returned to their villages and resumed farming. However, the present shortage of electricity and irrigation water had once again pushed farmers towards distress and migration. He alleged that frequent power cuts were drying up agricultural fields, with water reaching irrigation canals but failing to reach the fields. Farmers had borrowed between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 per acre to cultivate paddy and were now facing severe financial losses. He demanded that the government immediately provide compensation to affected farmers. The former minister also alleged that farmers had been forced to purchase fertilisers at higher prices on the black market and that counterfeit DAP fertiliser had been supplied to them. He said that during the BRS regime, strict action, including the invocation of the Preventive Detention (PD) Act, had been taken against those involved in selling counterfeit seeds and fertilisers. Questioning the government’s power management, he remarked that despite the availability of coal, adequate electricity was not being generated. He further alleged that although water was available under the Jurala project, it was not being supplied to farmers in Mahabubnagar, while water was being diverted to Andhra Pradesh. He maintained that had the Palamuru project canals been completed, irrigation water would have reached agricultural fields across the district. Srinivas Goud criticised the government for advising farmers against taking up a second crop without addressing the losses caused by the drying up of existing crops. He demanded that teams of IAS officers be sent to the districts to assess crop damage and that compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre be provided to affected farmers. He said that farmers who had cultivated 10 to 20 acres in some areas were left with crops surviving on only one or two acres, which could also be lost if the power supply did not improve. He warned that the situation could leave farming families without sufficient rice for their own consumption. He also highlighted the severe drinking-water shortage in some villages, where even cattle and goats were struggling to find water. Hanwada mandal BRS president Karunakar Goud, former MPP Balaraj, PACS chairman Krishnaiah Goud, vice-chairman Srinivasulu, Munimoksham sarpanch Rameshwari, Kishtampally sarpanch Venkatayya, senior leaders Chennayya, Ananth Reddy, Basireddy, Jambullaiah, Naganna, Yadaiah, Malkayya, Pentaiah, Suresh, Venkanna, Madhavulu, Ramalingam, Balakistaiah and Shiva, among others, participated in the protest and inspection. In a related development, Srinivas Goud extended his full support to the farmers’ padayatra led by former Devarakadra MLA Ala Venkateshwar Reddy, demanding the release of irrigation water into the Kandur Peddavagu stream in Devarakadra constituency of Mahabubnagar district. He joined the march and reiterated the need to prioritise irrigation for local farmers. Speaking on the occasion, Srinivas Goud alleged that the canals under the Palamuru project had not been completed because the government would have had to fill them with water if the work had been finished. He also questioned why the so-called Bahubali pumps had not been switched on, stating that their operation could have ensured irrigation water for local agricultural lands. He accused the Congress government of supplying water to Kuppam while neglecting the fields of Mahabubnagar and demanded an explanation from Congress leaders on how Krishna water was reaching Kuppam despite the alleged existence of an L-NevO arrangement. He claimed that more than four lakh acres of crops across the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district had dried up due to a lack of irrigation water. Recalling the BRS government’s efforts, he said that the previous administration had held discussions with the Karnataka Chief Minister to secure the release of water, whereas the present Congress leadership had failed to obtain adequate supplies despite the Congress being in power in Karnataka. Srinivas Goud urged party workers not to be intimidated by police cases and warned that officers who acted in violation of rules would be held accountable, while those who discharged their duties properly would be appreciated. He also assured party workers who had worked hard for the organisation that their efforts would receive due recognition in the coming days.
