Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Flood-hit ryots cry for free power

Staff Reporter

Even those eligible for free power given bills

VIJAYAWADA: While farmers in the Krishna delta are yet to recover from the shock of the Ogni cyclone, electricity officials have dealt a blow to them in a familiar mode - slapping bills even on those farmers who qualified for free power. A few farmers have received bills for Rs. 2,000 and more each, and they are on the horns of a dilemma whether to pay or not as the officials are mounting pressure and threatening to disconnect the supply.

In Godavarru village of Kankipadu mandal, Y. Sambasiva Rao has received a bill for his 18-year-old connection, which is in the free-power category. He has not paid the bill so far, because other farmers owing allegiance to the Congress have asked him not to do so as they are also not going to pay. They are banking on the Congress party's promise of giving free power to all kinds of farmers.

Raghavulu's counsel

When farmers brought this to the notice of State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) B.V. Raghavulu during his visit to flood-affected villages on Tuesday, he advised them to face the problem with unity. Terming it unjustifiable on the part of the Government, he demanded that free power be supplied to all farmers in the delta, considering the destruction wrought by the cyclone.

The farmers also expressed concern over their inability to get black gram seed for rabi. Traders had bought black gram at Rs. 3,000 a quintal and the price was expected to reach Rs. 10,000 a quintal in view of the damage to the crop. They demanded that the Government make arrangements for procuring and supplying seed at affordable price.

Agricultural labourers were also facing misery, with the administration asking them to vacate relief camps put up at schools even though their huts were still submerged in water or had been badly damaged.

At many places, 20 kg of rice was distributed to each family only to make sure that the poor families vacated school buildings.

The labourers demanded that the Government provide work to them in the next three months, since there was no possibility of finding it in farm fields.

They wanted the officials to consider engaging them in repair works required in the wake of the cyclone damage.

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