Declare entire dist as drought-hit

Karimnagar: The CPI activists staged a protest demonstration in front of the District Collectorate here on Wednesday, demanding the State government to declare the entire district as drought-hit. Later, they submitted a representation to Additional Joint Collector Nagendra.

CPI workers, led by its state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy, staged a dharna at the Collectorate and raised slogans against the State government for neglecting the district in taking drought relief measures. Jostling took place between the police and the agitating people when the later tried enter forcibly into the Collectorate.

Addressing the gathering, Venkat Reddy criticised the government for washing its hand by announcing only 19 mandals as drought-hit while the entire district was reeling under severe drought and all water bodies were dried up. Stating that the ground water table depleted to 22-meter depth, he wanted the government machinery to supply drinking water through tankers to quench the thrust of rural and urban people in the coming summer season.

He also wanted the government to sanction fresh crop loans to farmers by waiving off the old ones. So far, the beneficiaries of Indiramma housing scheme were not paid bills, he said and asked the officials to pay Rs 13.11 crore to 4,643 beneficiaries. Even though about 50,000 people in the district were houseless, the government had sanctioned 5,400 double bedroom houses only, he said and wanted the administration to sanction houses to all eligible persons.

Telangana State, which promised to give three acres of land to landless dalits, had distributed only 456 acres to 188 Dalit families during the last 18 months.