VIJAYAWADA: APCC chief YS Sharmila wrote a letter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu drawing his attention to the plight of flood-hit farmers in the State, and stressing the need for immediate desilting of drains and canals. She said the coastal districts have been severely affected by last week’s heavy rainfall. This, coupled with an outdated and inadequate drainage system, has resulted in flooding of agricultural fields, causing irreparable crop damage.
“It is disappointing to note that neither your Cabinet colleagues nor the local MLA s or MPs have been seen addressing the plight of the farmers in the affected areas. This contrasts with the frequent promises made by your government,” she said.
“The Congress urges the CM to treat this situation as a State emergency. We request the deployment of teams to assess the crop damage and the prompt announcement and disbursement of adequate compensation to the farmers. The previous government failed to address poor drainage problem, neglecting desilting and canal repairs, and diverting funds intended for these purposes. We request you to allocate funds and direct the officials to desilt drains and repair canals,” Sharmila added.