Untimely rains leave Nizamabad farmers in dire straits

Nizamabad: With untimely rains hitting the district frequently, farmers are in dire straits in Nizamabad district. On Thursday evening, the untimely rains and hailstorm accompanied by strong gales lashed parts of Nizamabad district and the standing crops were damaged in over 2,000 acres in Bodhan and Edapalli mandals. It is the fourth time this month that the untimely rains had lashed the district damaging crops in thousands of acres. The untimely rains and hailstorm accompanied by strong gales lashed in Nizamabad district on April 1, 2 and April 9 damaging the standing crops in over 70,000 acres. Even though Major Irrigation Minister P Sudharshan Reddy and the district officials visited the rain affected areas and promised that the compensation would be paid to those whose crops were damaged. Their promise still remains on the paper and farmers are yet to receive any compensation from the Government. On Saturday, Minister P Sudharshan Reddy, District Collector Christina Z Chongthu and other senior officials held a media conference at the R & B Guest House in Nizamabad and assured that the Government would come to the rescue of the farmers whose crops were damaged due to the untimely rains. Sudharshan Reddy said that due to untimely rains, the crops were damaged in over 70,000 acres in Bodhan and Kamareddy divisions and trees were uprooted at various places in the district. Lamenting over the damage of standing crops, the Minister said the district administration had already started assessing the damage of crops and the compensation in the form of input subsidy would be paid to farmers after completing its process. "The steps are being taken to provide house sites under 'Indira Avas Yojana' programme and give a compensation of Rs 1,900, Rs 3,200 and Rs 6,000 respectively to those whose houses were damaged due to the untimely rains," Sudharshan Reddy said. The Minister also informed that newly two professors had been appointed in the Government medical college at Nizamabad and a team of Medical Council of India (MCI) would be soon visiting the hospital for inspecting the facilities. "As per the norms of Medical Council of India, all facilities are being provided in the Nizamabad Government hospital. We hope that the MCI team will be satisfied with the facilities and give the permission to run the college. We are planning to start the new academic year in the medical college from June onwards," he informed. District Collector Christina Z Chongthu, Superintendent of Police Vikram Jeet Duggal and other senior officials were present.