Andhra Pradesh - Others   

The `hollow' promise that robs the smile on ryot kin's face

Staff Reporter

CHINTALAPUDI (WEST GODAVARI DIST): "We deferred payment of the loan following your assurances during your padayatra in our area at the time of elections that the Congress, if elected, will help farmers repay cooperative loans in instalments. But nothing came forth even after you became the Chief Minister. I lost my husband as a result of the pressure by the PACS,'' she cried bitterly. That was Khambhampati Srilakshmi of Lingagudem falling under Chintalapudi mandal in West Godavari district narrating her tales of woe to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who was here to participate in a gram sabha at Boyagudem, near here, as part of the Indiramma programme on Friday.

Her husband Rama Rao died of heart attack following coercive methods allegedly employed by the Raghapuram Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society to recover a loan of Rs. 4.5 lakhs from the peasant family.

Repeated pleas

Repeated pleas by the family members expressing inability to clear the loan due to recurring drought and subsequent crop failures failed to stop PACS personnel from auctioning their six-acre land leading to the death of the family head.

``I personally met you in your peshi and gave a representation on our problem but nothing happened except a letter to the district Collector from your peshi,'' she said. Srilakshmi's family took a loan of Rs. 2 lakhs in 1998 from Raghavauram PACS and it mounted to Rs. 4.5 lakhs by 2003, including interest.

Auction

The family still has to pay Rs. 1.5 lakhs to the PACS.

Though PACS got Rs. 3 lakhs by way of auctioning the land, it still sends notices to the family.

4 acres of Government land

"At this stage it is not possible for the Government to give back the land to you. However, I will direct the Collector to give you four acres of Government land as a substitute,'' the Chief Minister promised her.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Congress scared of response to padyatra: TDP
Budget cut applies to all departments: Jakkampudi
The `hollow' promise that robs the smile on ryot kin's face
Sugar unit profit to be passed on to ryots
Left, Telugu Desam to obstruct canal works
RTC sets 70 per cent occupancy ratio target
Pilgrims protest against denial of `darshan'
Protest over college wall demolition
`Pushkara LI scheme is temporary'
Icrisat to help develop farm productivity
Science fair from tomorrow

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu