VIJAYAWADA/GUNTUR: APCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy has demanded that the State and Central governments release a white paper on the losses due to cyclones and droughts in the State in past four-and-a-half years and the relief extended to the State.
Speaking to the media in Vijayawada on Monday after inspecting damaged and waterlogged crops in Tenali mandal of Guntur district and Penamaluru of Krishna district, the Congress leader said farmers had suffered losses due to cyclone Phethai and there was an urgent need to extend a helping hand to them by the government without any delay.
“Paddy crop in lakhs of acres has been damaged due to heavy rains under influence of cyclone Phethai in seven coastal districts. Twenty-five people have died due to cold and other rain-related incidents and livestock have also perished. The State government is duty bound to compensate the farmers for their losses, purchase the discoloured paddy and pay ex gratia to the families of victims of cold as it is also a natural disaster like a heat wave,” he said.
Taking exception to the apathy of the Centre in rendering help to the State in wake of natural disasters, Raghuveera Reddy pointed out that State government pegged the losses due to Hudhud cyclone at Rs 8,000 crore. Though the Prime Minister promised Rs 10,000 crore, only Rs 4,000 crore was released.