WARANGAL/NALGONDA/KARIMNAGAR/NIZAMABAD/SIDDIPET: Widespread crop damage across Telangana has left thousands of farmers in distress, with heavy rains devastating crops and stored paddy.
In Warangal, preliminary estimates indicate that 25,816 acres were affected in Jangaon, including 19,000 acres of paddy and 6,816 acres of cotton.
In Nalgonda, officials noted that 61,511 acres of crops were damaged, impacting over 30,000 farmers in 310 villages.
In Karimnagar, paddy procurement centres were flooded as farmers attempted to save soaked grain. “It was just nine days before harvest, but the untimely rain damaged all five acres of my paddy,” said tenant farmer Rajaiah.
Nizamabad faced similar issues with heavy rainfall damaging around 10% of stored paddy, while farmers struggled with a shortage of protective materials.
In Siddipet, emotional scenes unfolded as washed-away paddy left farmers devastated. Collector Hymavathi provided immediate aid of Rs 10,000 to affected farmers. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar urged the Centre for assistance.