Kakinada: Farmers destroy paddy crop without reaping it

Kakinada: Just two days ahead of Bharat Bandh protest planned by the farmers opposing Union government's farm laws which they say detrimental to their interests, a shocking incident of farmers destroying their damaged paddy crop unable to get compensation or remunerative price came to light in Konaseema area of East Godavari district on Sunday.

The farmers, who are in a distressed mood with the damage of crop due to cyclone and rains, resorting to destruction of crop by tilling their paddy fields without harvesting. They are saying that though they harvest the crop, they may not get the good yield. Moreover, they are not in a position to pay to labourers for harvesting the crop.

The farmers are shedding tears by seeing their crop and tilling the fields. They said that if they destroyed the crop and tilled the land, they would go for a second crop early as fixed by the district administration and save the crop for Rabi season. They said that they have not received even a single rupee as compensation from the government since the August.

The farmers expressed their anguish as the cyclones and rains destroyed their paddy crops and the government has not come to their rescue by remaining mute in this hour of crisis. Due to the incessant rains and Nivar cyclone, the farmers of Konaseema area are destroying their damaged paddy crops by ploughing their fields.

The incident took place at Vanne Chintalapudi village of Amalapuram Rural in East Godavari district. A farmer ploughed 10 acres of his paddy field without harvesting the crop. According to the sources, other farmers in the area plan to follow and destroy their crop grown in nearly 60 acres.

A farmer V Nageswar Rao of Teki village of Kapileswarapuram mandal in East Godavari district told 'The Hans India' that they invested thousands of rupees but not only crops were destroyed due to the rains, but also their hopes were shattered.

The farmers stated that the damage of the crops has become a yearly phenomenon and the officials pay casual visits and lip sympathy over their plight. The parties before coming to power give unstinted support and assure of great help to them. But once they get into power, they become apathetic towards their woes particularly during cyclones and crops damage.

They plough the fields with the tractor during post cyclone period without waiting for the drying of the paddy. Almost all the farmers are ready to adopt the same method.

Amalapuram Sub-Collector Himanshu Kaushik told 'The Hans India' that it is true that the farmers destroyed their paddy crop and ploughing the lands. He said that the compensation and input subsidy would be provided to those farmers also and the government is taking all steps to help the farmers.

Kaushik said that the government would come to the rescue of the farmers, if they inform officials about their difficulties. He advised the farmers not to resort to the hasty ploughing with the tractors. He said that they will get the crop insurance also.

Joint Collector Dr G Lakshmisha directed the officials to be available to provide assistance to the farmers in the district who have been affected by the rains and floods. He instructed the officials to avoid receiving complaints from any farmer that they have not been able to buy grain from them.

He said that every farmer should have a grain purchasing assistant at the Rytu Bharosa Kendram (RBK). He said that 21 teams have been set up at the district level in connection with the procurement of grain linked to the Command Control Room (08886613611). He said that rice millers are also cooperating to buy the damaged grain.