Focus on way forward for Bangaru Telangana

Hyderabad: Farmers of Karimnagar found a platform to express their views and agony over the harsh climatic conditions and the drought situation in the district on Saturday at the popular programme Dasha-Disha (Telangana) organised by HMTV and The Hans India.

Describing the programme as people’s platform, P Venkata Krishna, Chief Editor, Debates and Discussions, HMTV, who mediated the discussion, said the programme allows participants to focus on challenges before the administration and draw the attention of the state government towards the problems being faced on account of drought.

The newly-formed Telangana had lost three crops during the last two years hence it was everyone’s responsibility to come up with solutions to tackle the situation, he said. Initiating the discussion, Justice B Chandra Kumar, retired judge of High Court, said that the state was facing one of the worst drought conditions in recent years, where availability of drinking water during coming months may become a major challenge.

He lamented that the farmers whose assets have turned into liabilities were selling their cattle for one-thirds of their value. He said he had met a few farmers who sold cattle for Rs 20,000, when it could have fetched Rs 60,000 under normal conditions. He said the exploitation of natural resources by mankind had resulted global warming. Criticising the government for constructing various thermal power projects and taking up open cast mining, he said that the entire area got polluted. “Several hillocks had vanished because of quarrying,” he said.

TRS leader Shankar Reddy said that the government and the Chief Minister were working hard to find a solution to mitigate the impact of drought. The Centre had failed to come to the rescue of the state in tackling drought situation. It has not extended the kind of help it should have, he said.

YSRCP leader Adi Srinivas pointed out that the State government had sought Rs 2000 crore from the Centre as assistance, while only Rs 750 crore was sanctioned. The worse part of it was the Centre has released only Rs 50 crore. “In such a scenario, how can the State government face the find solutions,” he asked.

TDP leader E Peddi Reddy suggested that the government take up measures on war-footing, since a situation like agriculture emergency was prevailing in the district. He demanded that the government convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue. “There must be a long-term strategy,” he suggested.Congress leader K Mruthyunjaya felt that the State was facing a situation where people may not be able to celebrate Bathukamma or Ganesh Chaturthi or even Krishna Pushkaralu because of lack of water.

“The government got no vision to cope with the problem,” he said.A farmer Pulla Reddy felt that the government was supplying water to Siddipet and Hyderabad from Karimnangar ignoring the requirements of the local people.Many of the speakers in the programme said that they failed to understand why the district was facing water crisis when Mid Manair dam was in the heart of city. While Siddipet gets daily water supply, people of Karimnagar are facing acute shortage, they lamented. Even the little quantity of water that was supplied was irregular and no fixed timings were being maintained, they complained.

A young man said that the government had introduced courses in mining in a few universities in the state. But the course does not have recognition. Having completed this course, they can neither get a job in the Singareni Colleries nor can they work as labour, he said. The government has been duping students with such courses, he said.

Reacting to the issue, Justice Chandra Kumar assured students that he would extend all legal advice and would help them to take recourse to legal measures right up to the Supreme Court if need be. Some lawyers present in the function assured the young man that they would file PIL on behalf of all such students.

The HMTV assured to stand by the students.Commenting on the migrations to Dubai, Chandpasha, a victim said, that the government had so far not been able to bring even a single victim back from Dubai. Several of them were languishing in jails there, he said.

While some speakers raised their voice against using 80 per cent danger symbol on beedi packs which adversely affects the beedi workers’ livelihood, a woman participant expressed her concern over poor law and order situation prevailing in the district. She said that there was no safety for women and sexual attacks and rapes had increased.