Flood hit farmers want money to migrate

By SNV Sudhir

Nadigam (Srikakulam), Aug 8: Kolavala Mohan Rao, a farmer having 10 acres of land in Nadigam village of Narasannapeta mandal in the district now feels frustrated keeps gazing at his field where he sowed seeds twice in a gap of one month and failed due to the furious floods that hit his village two times. Same is the condition of almost around 10,000 farmers of four mandals Narasannapeta, Polaki, Jalumru, Saravakota. These are the worst hit mandals in the district during both the times. The floods hit around 50,000 hectares of agricultural fields spread in 100 villages under these mandals first on July 2 and on August 3, 4 this year. The annoyed farmers are now say that they are not venturing to sow seeds again as it would go waste and moreover they have no money to invest. “Every year we sow seeds in July and by December we get the harvest and sell the crop in the January. That’s the process and we celebrate the harvest festival with gaiety. But this time there will be no harvest and no festival” said Yerapati Malleswara Rao.The ryots also said they were more annoyed during the latest floods as this time floods coupled with strong winds and rains made them stand nowhere. “Floodwaters came into our houses. When we tried to move on to the roof, rain and strong winds didn’t allow us to stand. We remained confused saw hell on August 3 and 4. The district administration promised us rice, kerosene, money and seeds on subsidy last time only but we didn’t get them even after the latest floods and rains” said Paddenna Chinnam Naidu another farmer. More than the flood relief , now these farmers are just requesting rail reservation and travel charges to Hyderabad and Vizag. “We are now ready to work as construction labourers in Hyderabad and Vizag. I heard one gets a minimum of Rs 80 if we mix cement for construction there. We are planning to migrate. I will board Visakha express and reach Hyderabad as early as possible” said Adivarapu Nookaraju of Kollavanipalem village. Speaking to this correspondent, the Srikakulam district collector, K Nagendra Vishnu, said that they cannot provide rice, kerosene and compensation to everyone. "All of them are asking us to provide them all these without the ration card criteria. But according to the state government's norms we can give them only to the white card holders" said Vishnu. Later he assured all help to the farmers of these mandals who suffered twice in a gap of a month.