Fruit growers in distress: Sharmila

Nalgonda, Feb 14, 2013:
Expressing anxiety over the plight of the farmers in Nalgonda district, Smt. Y.
S. Sharmila lambasted the Kiran Kumar Reddy-led Congress Government for
abdicating the welfare of the farming community.

Paying a visit to the
orange (citrus species) orchards between Ammagudem and Gowraram in Nalgonda
district on the 65^th day of her Maro Praja Prasthanam Padayatra on
Wednesday, Smt. Sharmila said it was distressing to note that fruit cultivators
are burning their crops due to lack of power and water.

“Fruit growers have cut
off their orchards in 25,000 acres in Nalgonda district alone and farmers who
have given up cultivation in 3 lakh acres have migrated to other areas,” she
said after visiting a fruit orchard burnt up by its owner.

She faulted the
officials for forcibly taking away motors and starters from agricultural lands
for not paying power bills. “Power is supplied only for two to three hours a
day but the power bills are hefty. Police are dragging the farmers forcibly to
police stations and colleting the power bills. Even their residential power
connections are being removed without notice,” she said after talking to
farmers.

A farmer by name G.
Komaraiah told Sharmila that he got a power bill of Rs.10,000 and officials
failed to explain how he got that much bill. “I went from pillar to post
meeting officials to know how I got that much bill but no one explained
me.  When I couldn’t find motors and
starters in my agricultural land, I thought they were stolen but three days
later, electricity department officials told me they took away the motors for
non-payment of bills,” he told Smt. Sharmila with a crestfallen face.