Untimely rains damage crops in Nizamabad dist

Nizamabad: Untimely rains and hailstorm accompanied by strong gales lashed parts of Nizamabad district on Thursday damaging crops over large extent of Bodhan and Edapalli mandals. According to officials, the standing crops cultivated in over 2,000 acres were damaged in Bodhan and Edapalli mandals. It is the fourth time reported in a month that the freak rains had lashed the district damaging crops in thousands of acres. It may be noted that the district received freak rains and hailstorm accompanied by strong gales on April 1, 2 and 9, damaging crops in over 70,000 acres. On Friday, farmers in large numbers gathered at Edapalli Tahsildar office and staged a protest demanding the district administration to announce a compensation package to their damaged crops. Farmers said they had already been facing problems for some time due to erratic power supply and unscheduled power cuts and the fresh rains caused them heavy losses. Major Irrigation Minister P Sudharshan Reddy, District Collector Christina Z Chongthu and other senior officials visited the rain affected areas in Bodhan and Edapalli mandals and inspected the damaged crops. They interacted with farmers and local people and assured that the ex gratia would be paid to those whose crops were damaged. On the occasion, the Minister directed the revenue officials to commence assessment immediately to extend relief to the affected farmers. District Collector Christina Z Chongthu said that the district administration had already started assessing the damage of the crops and the compensation in the form of input subsidy would be paid to farmers after completing its process.